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COEffilGHT DEPOSIT. 



STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 



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THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 

NEW YORK •' BOSTON • CHICAGO • DALLAS 
ATLANTA • SAN FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN & CO., Limited 

LONDON • BOMBAY • CALCUTTA 
MELBOURNE 

THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd. 

TORONTO 




GREAT hfERpES 

DISCOVERS EXPLO^E^S AND oi^ISTIANlZEl^S 



or 



AMERICA 

BY 

Reverend James Nigdins 




\ 



illustrated 

By 

Harriet OBrien 



Hew York 

The Macmillan Company 

1919 
All lights %served 



CTiol 
.US' 



Ntfjtl ©tetat 

Rev. PATRICK J. WATERS, Ph.D., 

Censor Librorum. 



imprimatur 

►J* WILLIAM CARDINAL O'CONNELL, 

Archbishop of Boston. 
October 16, 1918. 



Copyright, 1919, 
By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. 



Set up and clectrotyped. Published August, 1919. 



AUG 22 !9!9 



Norhjooti $rt0g 

J. 8. Cushing Co. —Berwick & Smith Co. 

Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. 



©CI.A529648 



ILobtngli? SDeDtcateU to dje 

iFuture tym anD WLomtxt 

of America 



PREFACE 

At the present time, educators are putting forth their 
best efforts to secure for the study of American History the 
important place that it deserves in the curriculum of our 
elementary schools. This commendable movement has 
the sympathy and the support of all teachers. It stands 
for progress and efficiency in forming aright the character 
of the young. It aims at producing the truest, the noblest, 
and the best specimen of American citizens. 

With this purpose in mind, this book presents a number of 
brief biographies of the discoverers, explorers, and Chris- 
tianizers of the New World. These stories, which have 
appeared in the columns of the North American Teacher, 
are eminently suited to give our Elementary School chil- 
dren correct ideas of the great men who, from 1492 to 1600, 
brought to our shores the torch of civilization and Chris- 
tianity. They are written in a picturesque style that can- 
not but appeal to boys and girls. They are brimming over 
with accounts of daring on land and sea, in which the 
child's viewpoint dominates. 

The reading of these narratives cannot fail to emphasize 
the fact that nearly all the great discoverers, explorers, 
and Christianizers of the New World, from 1492 to 1600, 
were Catholics ; and it will undoubtedly make our boys 
and girls proud of the important part taken by many of 
these pioneers in civilizing and Christianizing the natives 
of America. 

vii 



viii PREFACE 

The "Questions on the Text/' the " Correlated Studies," 
and the " Pronouncing Vocabulary " will be found helpful 
both to teachers and pupils. They are not to be regarded 
as complete or comprehensive ; they are merely suggestive. 

If these stories give American boys and girls a proper 
appreciation of the great and far-reaching work of the 
noble heroes who came to our shores from 1492 to 1600, 
and if they help to foster and nourish the spirit of loyalty 
to God and country, this book fulfills its highest purpose. 



TEACH AMERICAN HISTORY 

As far back as the year 1884, the Archbishops and the 
Bishops of our country, in the following words, strongly 
recommended the study of American History to the Catho- 
lics of the United States. 

"Teach your children to take special interest in the history 
of the United States. We consider the establishment of 
our country's independence, the shaping of its liberties 
and its laws, as a work of special Providence, — its framers 
' building wiser than they knew' — the Almighty's hand 
guiding them. 

"We desire, therefore, that the history of the United 
States should be carefully taught in all our Catholic schools ; 
and we have directed that it be specially dwelt upon in 
the education of the young ecclesiastical students in our 
preparatory seminaries. We also desire that it form a 
favorite part of the home library and the home reading. 

"We must keep firm and solid the liberties of our country 
by refreshing our minds with the noble memories of the past, 
so that we may send forth from our Catholic homes not 
partisans but patriots." 



IX 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 



Christopher Columbus i 

Americus Vespucius 15 

John Cabot 21 

Vasco Nunez de Balboa 29 

Rev. Bartholomew Las Casas .42 

Ponce de Leon 54 

Hernando Cortes 61 

Ferdinand Magellan . 72 

Ferdinand de Soto 84 

Francisco Pizarro . .' 93 

Rev. Luis Cancer, O.S.D 101 

John Verrazano 108 

James Cartier . . 113 

Peter Menendez . . . « 120 

Rev. Peter Martinez, S.J 124 

Sir Francis Drake 127 

Rev. Peter de Corpa, O.S.F 132 

Appendix 137 

Topical Index . 141 



XI 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



The World as Known at the Time of Columbus' First 

Columbus Leaving Spain to Discover a New Route 

Columbus Lands on American Soil . 

Columbus in Chains .... 

The Boy Vespucius and His Teacher 

Where the Indians Lived and Slept . 

John Cabot as a Boy .... 

Balboa Trying to Escape 

Balboa Discovers the Pacific Ocean 

Balboa Led to Execution 

Father Las Casas, the Defender of the Indians 

The Bloodhounds Attacking the Indians . 

Ponce de Leon Looking for the Fountain of Youth 

The Spaniards Attacked by the Indians . 

Cortes Rushing toward the Church 

Cortes Meeting the Messengers of Montezuma 

The Capture of Montezuma 

Magellan Sets Sail for the New World 

The Patagonian Giant and the Spanish Sailor 

The Death of Magellan .... 

De Soto and Isabella .... 

De Soto at the Inca's Palace . 

The Burial of De Soto .... 

The Boy Pizarro Hears about the New World 

The Capture of Atahualpa 

A Novel Way of Christianizing the Indians 

Father Cancer Faces Death 

Verrazano Approaching the Indians 

Cartier Trading with the Indians . 

Cartier Sailing up the St. Lawrence 

Menendez before Philip II 

Francis Drake Cultivating a Love for the Sea 



Voyage 
to India 



To 



PAGE 

face i 

4 

7 

ii 

16 

18 

22 

3i 
34 
39 
43 
45 
57 
59 
62 

64 
6 7 

74 
77 
80 

85 
87 
90 

93 
97 
103 
105 
no 
114 

115 
121 

128 



X1U 



TO THE TEACHER 

The " Correlated Studies " which follow each story are 
intended primarily to enlarge the experience of the individ- 
ual pupil by requiring him to study one of the topics, and 
then to impart to the other pupils the knowledge thus ac- 
quired. This work, when properly carried out, is an aid 
both to impression and expression. 

These studies should not be assigned to the children until 
the text has been sufficiently understood. The teacher is 
recommended to divide her class into as many sections as 
there are topics in the "Correlated Studies," and to assign 
one of the topics to each section. 

The preparation of these studies requires different degrees 
of mental power and historical knowledge. Some of them 
are comparatively easy; others are more difficult; still 
others need considerable investigation and thought. Should 
the teacher deem any one of the topics too difficult for her 
class, she should omit it. 



XV 





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JH||H 



STORIES OF GREAT 
HEROES 

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

His Birthplace. — Were you walking along the streets 
of the beautiful city of Genoa in sunny Italy about four 
hundred seventy years ago, you would have noticed sev- 
eral clusters of children playing games or watching the 
different vessels coming to or going from that well-known 
port. Among these healthy Italians you would undoubt- 
edly see a bright-looking little boy with laughing eyes and 
golden hair, and you would be impressed with the earnest- 
ness and delight with which he watched the sailing vessels 
in the harbor. In a moment of curiosity, you would say, 
in Italian, " What is your name, little boy ? ' and he would 
tell you " Cristoforo Colombo. " 

His Education. — After further questions, you would 
find that this little Italian boy attended school in his native 
city; that he was a most diligent student, especially in 
history, geography, and map-drawing; and that, in his 
leisure moments, his great pleasure was to listen to the 
wonderful tales which the sailors told him about their 
adventures. 

We must not think, however, that young Columbus was 
an idle, lazy boy; for every evening after school he used 
to help his father in the wool-combing business, and, what 
is more to his credit, he did it most willingly. 



2 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

Though he was always neatly dressed, especially when he 
went to Mass with his father and mother on Sundays and 
Holydays of Obligation, he was by no means a namby- 
pamby boy. On the contrary, he was full of spirit and 
brimming over with fun. When he played, as well as when 
he worked, he entered into his games with his whole 
heart. 

His Life as a Sailor. — The boy's acquaintance with 
many sailors, and the numerous stories he heard, helped 
to develop his natural attraction for the sea. It was no 
surprise to his parents when, at the age of fourteen, he 
asked their permission to become a cabin boy. Indeed, it 
was one of the proudest moments of his life when the ship 
on which he was to sail hoisted anchor for a voyage to some 
port in the Mediterranean or to some distant country, such 
as France or England. 

As a sailor, Christopher was a most apt pupil. He studied 
with the greatest eagerness and delight every part of the 
vessel; he listened to the sailors tell about the different 
stars in the heavens; he sketched the seacoast of every 
country which he saw; he made an outline of every port 
and harbor that he visited ; and he soon learned how to 
manage a ship. 

The Problem of the Hour. — It is a well-known fact that 
the people of Europe carried on a very large trade with 
India, till the Turks made it dangerous to go there by the 
overland route. Then it was that every merchant, trader, 
and sailor wished to find another way to India. 

Having grown to manhood, and having become proficient 
as a sailor, Columbus was naturally interested in finding 
a new route to India. He made a deep study of the matter. 
He considered every scheme that had been proposed. He 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 3 

consulted experienced seamen. He did everything that a 
human being could do to solve the problem. 

At last a thought occurred to him. " Since the world is 
round," he said, " if I sail to the west, I shall surely reach 
India. " Unfortunately for Columbus, many people be- 
lieved at the time that the earth was flat ; so they consid- 
ered his scheme actually foolish. 

His First Difficulty. — Columbus, however, was too thor- 
oughly convinced of the soundness of his plan to be dis- 
couraged by such an objection. Endowed with great 
courage and perseverance, and wishing to extend the king- 
dom of God on earth, he appealed to several countries of 
Europe to supply the means to make this voyage of dis- 
covery; but one after another turned a deaf ear to his 
appeal. 

Columbus, having been refused help by the King of 
Portugal and the King of Spain, decided to ask the King 
of France. On his way thither, he happened to stay over 
night at a Spanish monastery. The prior, Father John 
Perez, after a short conversation with his visitor, became 
very much interested in the new route to India mapped out 
by Columbus. As a result of the priest's influence with 
Queen Isabella, three small sailing vessels were fitted out for 
a trial voyage. 

After securing the aid of the Spanish Queen, another 
difficulty arose. It was impossible to hire sailors to go on 
the expedition. Many of them, thinking that the world 
was flat, thought that by sailing west in the " Sea of Dark- 
ness " (the Atlantic Ocean) they would reach the " Jump- 
ing-ofF Place " and meet sure death. 

Columbus' First Voyage. — Notwithstanding this great 
obstacle, Columbus, by dint of energy and argument, se- 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 5 

cured sufficient men to man the three sailing vessels. The 
morning of departure came. Thousands and thousands of 
people were on hand to wish Godspeed to the Admiral and 
his men. After invoking the help and protection of their 
Creator, and after listening to the encouraging cheers and 
prayers of the multitude, Columbus and his crew sailed 
from Palos on their memorable voyage. 

We can imagine the feelings which filled the breasts of 
the sailors and those who remained behind. The majority 
of the Spaniards thought it was a foolhardy enterprise. 
They looked upon Columbus as an idle dreamer. They 
had not the slightest notion that he would succeed. 

How different were the feelings of Columbus ! After 
nearly seventeen years of patient waiting, he felt that his 
hopes of finding a new route to India were soon to be real- 
ized. He had no misgivings. He was not fearful of the 
journey. He believed that he was undertaking a great 
work, not only for the benefit of the kingdom of Spain, but 
for the greater honor and glory of God. 

The Sailors Discontented. — When they had been several 
weeks at sea, the sailors became discontented. They went 
to Columbus and begged him to return. The Admiral, 
however, prevailed on them to continue a little longer. 
Some weeks later they threatened to throw him overboard 
if he were not willing to turn back. Once more their leader 
asked them to sail on for a few days longer. He promised 
them that, if he did not sight land in the meantime, he 
would return to Spain. 

Fortified with the promise of Columbus, the sailors set- 
tled down to work. An occasional sign that they were 
approaching land gave all on board renewed courage. 
Finally the long-desired country loomed up in the dis- 



6 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

tance ; and oh, what joy and gladness it brought to the 
hearts of the sailors! On the next day, October 12, 1492, 
(according to the Gregorian Calendar, October 21, 1492), 
Columbus and his men landed on American soil on the 
island of Guanahani, now called San Salvador. 

What do you think was the first act performed by Colum- 
bus on the newly-discovered land ? Like loyal sons of 
the Church, he and his men knelt and offered thanks to 
their Creator, for having inspired and aided them in that 
wonderful voyage. He then had a large cross erected 
on the spot where they landed to proclaim to the world 
that the discoverer of America was a Catholic. 

What Columbus Saw. — Having praised and thanked 
the Lord, Columbus, as he gazed around, saw a vast coun- 
try filled with flowering plants, beautiful shrubs, numerous 
trees, and a great variety of strange birds. As he beheld 
these wonders of nature, he perceived a number of half-clad 
men slowly approaching. 

Columbus, thinking that he had discovered India, called 
these strange men Indians. He described them in his 
journal as very poor, dark-skinned, and naked. All seemed 
to be young and well-built, and to have coarse black hair 
hanging down behind, but cut short over their foreheads. 
Their bodies were painted with various colors and in all 
manner of ways. They carried sticks pointed with fish- 
bones, and moved their canoes with paddles that looked 
like shovels. 

The Spaniards treated the Indians kindly, and won their 
good will by giving them presents of glass beads and other 
knick-knacks. The Indians on their part brought the 
Spaniards fruit and corn. 

The result of the first voyage of Columbus may be thus 



8 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

summarized : the discovery of San Salvador (one of the 
Bahama Islands), of Cuba, and the founding of a settlement 
on the coast of Haiti. 

The Return Trip. — On the fourth day of January, 1493, 
Columbus, leaving a number of his sailors on American soil, 
returned to Spain. For four or five weeks all went well 
with his ship. A terrible storm then arose and threatened 
to shatter the vessel. It lasted so long that Columbus 
began to give up hope of again seeing Spain. In this state 
of mind, he wrote on parchments two accounts of his won- 
derful discovery, sealed them, and addressed them to the 
King and the Queen of Spain. He then wrapped the parch- 
ments in two large cakes of wax, put one of them in a barrel, 
and cast it into the sea, with the hope that it might reach 
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Shortly afterwards the 
storm abated, and Columbus and his gallant sailors steered 
their ship in the direction of Spain, reaching their destina- 
tion about the middle of March, 1493. 

Never was a conquering hero received with greater ac- 
clamation. The nobility, who seven months before had con- 
sidered Columbus an idle dreamer, vied with one another 
in honoring him ; King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella 
showered on him unusual tokens of esteem. 

The Second Voyage. — The King and the Queen of 
Spain were so pleased with the discovery of Columbus that 
they appointed him "Admiral of the Ocean Seas' and 
" Viceroy of the Indies." They ordered him, moreover, to 
go once more to the New World, so that he might explore 
the country more thoroughly. 

On the first voyage, Columbus found the greatest dif- 
ficulty in persuading one hundred sailors to accompany 
him, but on the second, thousands of Spaniards offered 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 9 

their services. On September 25, 1493, an expedition of 
seventeen ships and fifteen hundred men set sail from 
Cadiz, and reached the island of Dominica on the third of 
November. Columbus did not remain here, but continued 
his journey till he came to the island of Haiti, where he 
built the city of Isabella. 

A Tour of Exploration. — After a diligent search for gold 
in the island of Haiti, Columbus and a part of his fleet 
went on a voyage of discovery. During this expedition he 
discovered the island of Jamaica, the Isle of Pines, and 
several smaller islands ; he explored a part of Cuba, and 
then returned to the city of Isabella. Here he contracted a 
severe illness which lasted for several months. 

While Columbus was indisposed, some of the Spanish 
colonists returned to Spain and circulated evil reports 
about him. They insinuated that he was a poor governor, 
and that he had not found the gold which he had promised 
the King and the Queen of Spain. 

On this account, the reception given to him on his second 
return to Spain was not enthusiastic. The King and the 
Queen, to their honor be it said, received the Admiral with 
kindness, but the Spanish people were very much disap- 
pointed, because he had not brought them a shipload of gold. 

The Third Voyage. — From June n, 1496, to May 30, 
1498, Columbus waited for the fitting out of the third ex- 
pedition. On the latter date he again sailed from Cadiz 
Three of his ships went direct to the city of Isabella, while 
the other three steered more to the southwest ; and on 
the first of August, 1498, approached the island of Trinidad, 
near the mouth of the Orinoco. Columbus thereupon 
coasted Trinidad, discovered Margarita, and saw for the 
first time the great continent of South America. 



10 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

After an absence of nearly three years, Columbus re- 
turned to the city of Isabella and found many of the people 
in open rebellion. They did not want to be governed by 
the " Admiral of the Ocean Seas." He managed, however, 
to bring about peace, but not before news of the uprising had 
been sent to Spain. 

The Spanish Court sent an officer, Bobadilla, to Haiti 
to quell the rebellion. When he reached the New World, 
peace and quiet prevailed among the colonists. In spite 
of this fact, Bobadilla assumed the governorship of the 
island, had Columbus and his brothers seized as traitors, 
chained hand and foot, and put in prison. 

The Spanish People Indignant. — Some months later 
Columbus was taken from prison, placed on board a ship, 
and carried to Spain. When the vessel arrived at Cadiz, 
the Spaniards were shocked beyond measure to find their 
Great Admiral a prisoner in chains. 

' What has he done," they exclaimed, " to warrant such 
barbarous treatment ? " 

No one could tell. 

When Queen Isabella learned how unjustly Columbus 
had been treated she was highly indignant. She went at 
once to the King and told him what Bobadilla had done. 
Thereupon, messengers were sent in great haste to Colum- 
bus, telling him how sorry the King and the Queen were, 
and ordering his release from prison. 

The Fourth Voyage. — Though Columbus had failed to 
find an immense amount of gold, and though many of the 
Spaniards had lost confidence in him, the King and the 
Queen of Spain fitted out for him a fourth expedition. 
On May 9, 1502, he left Spain for the New World. On 
this voyage he passed by the islands of Haiti and Jamaica 




Columbus in Chains 



ii 



12 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

and reached Honduras. After sailing along the coast of 
this country for some time, Columbus and his men landed 
at Truxillo on August 17, 1502. From this harbor he 
went to Nicaragua and the Isthmus of Panama ; and then 
returned to Haiti to prepare for another expedition. 

Why Columbus Returned to Spain. — When Admiral 
Columbus and his men sailed into the harbor of San 
Domingo, they received such a cool reception from the Gov- 
ernor of Haiti that they returned at once to Spain. 

After the trials and disappointments of the past few 
years, the Great Admiral was sick at heart and a physical 
wreck, — so much so, that he was not able to visit King Fer- 
dinand and Queen Isabella. Soon after, the sad news of 
the death of the Spanish Queen, his best friend, was brought 
to him. This was indeed a great blow to the discoverer 
of the New World. All worldly ambition seemed to pass 
out of his life, and his thoughts turned to Him Who had 
made the world out of nothing. 

" A few years ago," said an eye witness, " Columbus 
was the idol and hero of the world, but now he goes to his 
grave unwept and unhonored." 

The annals of the city (Valladolid) where he died do not 
even mention his death. For years his memory was 
neglected by the people of Europe, and even by the inhabit- 
ants of America ; but, during the past half century or 
more, the world has begun to realize the wonderful achieve- 
ment of that noble and daring Catholic sailor, Christopher 
Columbus. 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

1. What do you know about the birthplace of Columbus ? 2. Name 
some traits of character which he had. 3. How was he attracted to the 
life of a sailor ? 4. During his boyhood, what was uppermost in the 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 13 

minds of the people? 5. What was his plan to solve the problem? 
6. Relate the difficulty which he had in finding a rich patron. 7. Why- 
were the sailors afraid to accompany Columbus ? 8. Give an account 
of his departure from Spain. 9. What notions had the sailors regarding 
the Atlantic Ocean ? 10. Why do some histories say that Columbus 
discovered the New World on October 21, 1492 ? 11. How did Columbus 
show his gratitude to God? 12. Mention the strange things he saw 
in the newly-found land. 13. How did the Spaniards treat the natives ? 
14. Describe the return trip to Spain. 15. What kind of reception 
did the Great Admiral receive ? 16. Tell what Columbus did on the 
second voyage. 17. What did he accomplish on his third voyage? 
18. Give an account of the rebellion in Haiti, and show how it brought 
great sadness to Columbus. 19. How did Bobadilla treat Columbus ? 

20. Did the Spanish people think that he should have been put in chains ? 

21. What did Columbus accomplish by his fourth voyage? 22. Why 
did he return so quickly to Spain? 23. Describe the remaining days 
of the Great Admiral. 24. Why was his memory neglected for hundreds 
of years ? 25. What organization in this country has helped to make 
people realize the wonderful achievement of Columbus ? 26. What 
incidents in this story show that Columbus was a religious man ? 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

I. Make a large sketch map of the known world at the time of Colum- 
bus. Trace on it the course followed by the Discoverer of America 
on his first voyage to the New World; and indicate the places 
where he landed. 

II. Spain, Portugal, and Italy had much to do with the discovery and 
exploration of the New World. Study the geography of these 
countries ; note especially the changes that have taken place in 
them during the past four hundred years. 

III. Explain to the class how the knowledge of astronomy and map- 
drawing was useful to Columbus, and show its importance at 
the present time. 

IV. Read for the class your favorite poem on Columbus, and point out 

how the author imparts historical knowledge. 
V. Tell why so many of the learned men of Europe were not in favor 
of the plan to reach India proposed by Columbus. 

VI. Discuss in class : "Do we honor Columbus sufficiently ?/'* 



14 



STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 



PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 



Bahama, bd ha/md 
Bobadilla, bo'va thel'ya, 

bo'ba dll'a 
Cadiz, ka/diz 
Cristoforo Colombo, kr$s tof 6 ro 

ko lom'bo, kris to'f u ro 

kti lom'bo 
Dominica, dom'i ne'ka 
Genoa, jen'o d 
Gregorian, gre go'ri dn 
Guanahani, gwa'na ha/ne 
Haiti, ha/ti 

Honduras, h5n doo'rds 
isthmus, ls'nrns 
Jamaica, jd ma'kd 



Margarita, mar'gd re'td 

Mediterranean, med'i ter a'ne dn 

Nicaragua, nik'd ra/gwd 

Orinoco, 6'ri no'ko 

Palos, pa/los 

Perez, pa/rath 

Portugal, por'tu gdl 

San Domingo, san do mlr/go 

San Salvador, san sal'va dor' 

Trinidad, trin'i dad' 

Truxillo or Trujillo, troo hel'yo 

Valladolid, val ya do led', 

y&l Id do lid' 
Viceroy, vis'roi 



AMERICUS VESPUCIUS 1 

The Name " America." — " What are you reading, 
John ? " asked Mr. Cox. 

" I am reading the story of Christopher Columbus, 
father/' replied the boy. 

" Can you tell me, my son, why the New World was 
called ' America ' ? " 

" I do not know, father, but I think I can find out." 

" That is the way to talk, John. See what you can do." 

The boy thought for a moment. He then looked in his 
history. After reading a chapter or two, he found what he 
was looking for in a footnote. 

" I have it ! I have it ! " shouted the delighted boy. 

" Why, what is the matter, John ? " said the father, look- 
ing up from his paper. 

" I have just found out, father, why the New World was 
called ' America.' " 

" That is splendid, my boy. Tell me why." 

" The New World was called ' America ' after a famous 
Italian navigator, Americus Vespucius." 

' But, my son, Americus Vespucius did not discover the 
New World. This great honor belongs to Columbus. 
Why then was it not called Columbia ? " 

" It seems that Americus Vespucius, after making four 
voyages across the Atlantic, wrote an account of his travels 

1 Amerigo Vespucci is the Italian name. 
15 



16 



STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 



for a friend in Europe. A German map-maker, having 
read this account, made up his mind that Americus Ves- 
pucius had discovered a new continent ; so in his map of 
the world he called the newly-discovered land America. 
That is why the New World was not called Columbia." 

" That is very good, my son. I am proud of you. Now 
you can readily see why American children study the life 
of Americus Vespucius." 

His Birth and Education. — On March 9, 1451, Americus 
Vespucius was born at Florence, Italy. His early educa- 




The Boy Vespucius and His Teacher 



tion was intrusted to the care of his uncle, a Dominican 
priest. Americus was a diligent student. His school work 
was to him a pleasure rather than a task. He was so 



AMERICUS VESPUCIUS 17 

deeply interested in his studies that he could never under- 
stand why some boys and girls did not like school. 

When Americus was about twenty-seven years of age, 
he went to Paris in the employ of the Florentine ambas- 
sador. Here he remained for two or three years increas- 
ing his store of knowledge. When his father died in 1482, 
he became a steward in one of the great families in Italy ; 
and, nine years later, he went to Seville, Spain, where he 
obtained employment in a banking house. Here it was 
that he learned about the plans of his fellow-countryman, 
Columbus, to find a water route to India. 

Vespucius Goes to Sea. — The successful voyages of 
Columbus must have filled the heart of Vespucius with a 
longing to visit the newly-discovered land ; for on May 10, 
1497, he and a number of sailors left Cadiz in three ships 
for the New World. About four or five weeks later, they 
landed on the continent of South America (Guiana or 
Brazil) and were well received by the natives. What 
Vespucius and his men did from this time until October 
15, 1498, when they returned to Spain, is difficult to say. 
Some claim that they sailed along the coast of North America 
as far as the Gulf of St. Lawrence ; others hold that they 
spent the time exploring the islands of the Caribbean Sea 
and the coast land of South America. 

What Vespucius Saw in the New World. — When Ves- 
pucius returned to Spain, the people flocked around him to 
hear about the strange things he had seen during his voyage. 
You can imagine how interested the dark-eyed Spaniards 
were when he told them about the red-skinned natives who 
could run and swim much better than the Europeans, and 
who could use the bow and arrow with great skill. 

" The natives," he said, " sleep in a kind of large net 
c 



18 



STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 



made of cotton and suspended in the air. Their dwell- 
ings are bell-shaped and are strongly built of large trees 
fastened together, and covered with palm leaves as a pro- 
tection against winds and storms. They do not value gold, 

pearls, or gems. Their riches 
consist in the beautiful 
feathers of birds and strings 
of beads made of fishbones 
or of white stones. When a 
person is sick with a fever 
they bathe him in cold water, 
compel him to run back and 
forth for two hours round a 
rousing fire, and when his 
^ body is fairly aglow they 
lead him off* to sleep." 

His Second Voyage. — 
After telling the people of 
Spain about these and many 

other things which he had 
Where the Indians Lived and Slept seen j n the New yj^ y^ 

pucius again left Cadiz in May, 1499, directed his course 
to Cape Verde, crossed the equator, and sighted land off" 
the coast of Brazil. He then proceeded in a northerly direc- 
tion, coasted the Guianas, discovered Cape St. Augustine 
and the Amazon River, made observations of the Southern 
Cross, and returned to Spain in September, 1500. 

Vespucius Goes to Portugal. — After returning from his 
second voyage something must have happened to cause 
Vespucius to leave Spain and to go to Portugal. Perhaps 
the Portuguese King offered him more compensation for his 
services. At any rate, on May 14, 1501, he sailed under 




AMERICUS VESPUCIUS 19 

the auspices of the King of Portugal on his third voyage of 
discovery. Some months later the expedition landed in 
the New World near where the city of Bahia now stands. 
After a short rest here, the ships were turned to the south 
and sailed along the coast for a great distance. Vespucius 
and his men then returned to Portugal, and received a great 
reception from the King and his people. 

His Last Voyages. — On his fourth voyage, which started 
June 10, 1503, Vespucius steered towards the Bay of All 
Saints in Brazil. At Cape Frio he found an abundance of 
fine wood. With this he filled his ships, sailed to the south 
as far as the Rio de la Plata, and returned to Portugal. 

It is almost certain that he made a fifth voyage, and 
that he visited the Gulf of Darien and the surrounding 
country ; but we find no account of this in his writings. 

After his last trans-Atlantic voyage, Vespucius returned 
to Spain in 1505, because his merits and services were not 
fully appreciated by the King of Portugal ; and, to the 
honor of the Spanish monarch be it said, he was made chief 
pilot, — a position which he held till his death on Febru- 
ary 22, 1 5 12. 

Some writers have accused Vespucius of trying to 
rob Columbus of the glory of having discovered the New 
World. This, however, is unfair to the Florentine navigator, 
because a German map-maker is responsible for giving the 
name " America' 1 to the newly-found continent of South 
America, and this name was afterwards given to North 
America. 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

1. Explain how the name "America" was given to the New World. 

2. What do you know about the birthplace of x\mericus Vespucius ? 

3. Tell about his early education. 4. In what work did he engage 



20 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

before he became a navigator? 5. How did he become acquainted 
with Columbus ? 6. Mention the things he saw in the New World. 
7. What did Vespucius accomplish by his second voyage ? 8. Why 
did he leave Spain to enter the service of the King of Portugal ? 

9. What discoveries did he make on his third and fourth voyages ? 

10. How could you prove that the Portuguese King did not appreciate 
the w6rk of Vespucius? n. In what way did the King of Spain re- 
ward his services ? 12. Prove that Vespucius did not try to rob Columbus 
of the honor of discovering the New World. 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

I. It will help you to remember the story of Americus Vespucius 
if you locate on the map of the world Lisbon, Cadiz, the Cape 
Verde Islands, Brazil, the Guianas, the Amazon River, and Cape 
Frio. 
II. Find out what you can about brazil-wood, and note especially its 
different uses. 

III. Tell what you know about the equator; mention the countries 

through which it passes; and discuss the temperature of these 
places. 

IV. Discuss in class : " Did Vespucius reach the New World before 

John Cabot?" 

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 

Amazon, £m'd zon Darien, da/ri en' 

Americus Vespucius (Latin), European, u'ro pe'an 

a mer'I k^s vSs poo'sMs Florentine, florin ten — tin 

Amerigo Vespucci (Italian), Frio, fre'6 

a/ma re 'go ves poot'che Guiana, ge a'nd 

Augustine, o'gus ten' — tin' Portuguese, por'tu gez' — ges' 

Bahia, ba e'a Eio de La Plata, re'6 da la pla/ta 

Brazil, brd zil' Seville, se vil' 

Caribbean, kar'i be'an Verde, vurd 



JOHN CABOT 

His Early Life. — Some years ago I had the good for- 
tune to visit the fair land of Italy. While in that country 
I spent several days in the city of Genoa, the birthplace of 
John Cabot, the great navigator and discoverer of the 
mainland of North America. 

I tried in every possible way to find out something about 
his early life : I inquired among the people, I talked with 
many school-teachers, and I visited the public library ; but 
I got no definite information. 

Though I failed to obtain historical facts about Cabot's 
youth, I heard a number of legendary stories which have 
been associated with his name. Some of these told about 
his childhood, the games he played, and the things that 
interested him most. Others gave an account of his school 
days, and the eagerness with which he studied geography, 
history, and navigation. Still others made known the 
many hours that he spent reading the thrilling account of 
the East handed down to posterity by the famous Italian 
traveler, Marco Polo. All these, however, are not to our 
purpose. 

History tells us that John Cabot, the celebrated dis- 
coverer of the mainland of North America, was born during 
the first half of the fifteenth century in the city of Genoa. 
Some years later, in 1461, he removed to Venice, where he 
began an eventful career as a seaman and a trader. 

In those days the city of Venice carried on an extensive 

21 



22 



STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 



trade with Asiatic countries, such as India, China, and 
Japan. The spices, gold, and precious stones from these 
nations were brought to Europe partly by land and partly 
by sea. When the Turks rendered it almost impossible for 
Europeans to travel through Asia, every sailor and trader 
set to work to find a water route to the East. 




John Cabot as a Boy 



A Wonderful Island. — In the " Travels of Marco Polo," 
we read : " Cipango is an island towards the East about 
1500 miles from Europe. The people of this land are 
white and civilized. I can tell you, the quantity of gold 
there is endless, for the people find it in their own island, 
and the King of the place does not allow it to be exported. 
Few merchants, moreover, visit the country, because it is 



JOHN CABOT 23 

so far from the mainland. Thus it happens that gold is 
abundant there beyond measure. 

" I will tell you a wonderful thing about the residence 
of the Lord of Cipango. His palace is roofed with gold, 
the corridors and the floors of the different rooms are paved 
with gold slabs two fingers thick, and the windows are also 
made of gold : so that altogether the richness of this build- 
ing is beyond belief. The island has, moreover, an abun- 
dance of pearls of a rose color, and large quantities of other 
precious stones." 

After reading this and other glowing accounts of the 
East, every sailor and trader could not help being desirous 
of finding a water route to the rich countries of Asia. 

Another incident, moreover, had a great influence in 
bringing about Cabot's voyage of discovery. He had heard 
of Christopher Columbus' journey across the Atlantic 
Ocean in the service of the King and the Queen of Spain. 
He had read of his wonderful discovery. What was to 
prevent him from making as daring a voyage as his fellow- 
countryman, Columbus ? He felt that he knew just as 
much as Columbus, and that his knowledge of navigation 
was as great, if not greater. 

How Cabot Set to Work. — Prompted by these and other 
considerations, Cabot, who was then living in England, 
went to see King Henry VII, and obtained his permission 
"to seek out, discover, and find whatsoever islands, coun- 
tries, regions, or provinces, which before this time have 
been unknown to all Christians." 

Cabot then hastened back to Bristol, chartered a small 
sailing vessel, the Matthew, and with a crew of eighteen 
hardy and courageous sailors, embarked at that port in 
May, 1497. 



24 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

Strange as it may appear, there was no particular demon- 
stration of the people to mark the event. The object of 
Cabot's voyage may not have been publicly known. 

We can imagine the feelings which filled the breasts of 
the sailors aboard the Matthew. How they must have 
doubted the prudence of sailing into the " Sea of Dark- 
ness " ! What misgivings they must have had as to the 
outcome of the expedition ! But the great courage and 
daring spirit of John Cabot counteracted all this. He 
acted as if he were sure of reaching the shores of Asia. 

The Result of His Voyage. — After a long, adventurous 
voyage of fifty days, Cabot reached the mainland of the 
North American continent about June, 1497. What great 
joy must have filled his heart as he beheld a vast country 
in the distance (Cape Breton or Labrador) ! How eager 
he must have been to make a landing ! Surely he must 
have offered up a fervent prayer of thanksgiving to his 
Creator. 

After going ashore, Cabot's first act was to erect a large 
cross from which were unfurled the flag of England, and 
the flag of St. Mark, the patron saint of Venice. He then 
looked around to see if he could find any evidence that the 
place was inhabited. As a result of his observations, he 
found snares set to catch wild animals. This showed him 
that people lived in the territory. 

Having thus taken possession of the country in the name 
of the King of England, Cabot began his homeward journey 
with all haste, and reached the port of Bristol in August, 

I497- 

His Royal Reception. — It is natural to suppose that 
John Cabot, after landing in England, went at once to King 
Henry VII and told him about the success of his under- 



JOHN CABOT 25 

takings. The English King was so pleased with his dis- 
covery that he gave orders for another voyage to start 
early in the following year, 1498. 

When the news of Cabot's arrival in Bristol became 
generally known, there was great rejoicing among all classes 
of people ; for they felt that England had " gained a part 
of Asia without a stroke of the sword." The merchants 
and traders were overjoyed at the prospect of carrying on 
business with a country where gold, gems, and aromatic 
spices were to be found. 

There is hardly a doubt but that Cabot thought he had 
discovered a part of China, or as it was called at that time 
the " Territory of the Grand Khan." He was sure that 
the abundance of gold and precious stones which Marco 
Polo had told about would soon be brought back to England. 

While waiting for the second voyage, Cabot and his 
hardy sailors had time to tell the people of England about 
the terrible hardships which they underwent in their daring 
trip across the Atlantic, and about some of the wonderful 
things they had seen in the newly found land. They re- 
ported that the soil was fertile and the climate temperate, 
that redwood grew there, and that the surrounding sea 
was full of fish which could be caught not only with nets 
but with baskets. 

The Second Voyage. — Some time in the first half of 
the year 1498, Cabot, in command of five ships and about 
three hundred men, set sail from Bristol on a second ex- 
pedition. The vessels at first steered to the north and then 
to the west. On reaching the American coast somewhere 
near Newfoundland, Cabot wished to go farther north ; but 
the sailors, seeing the large bodies of ice found in the ocean 
thereabouts, were afraid. It is said that he then sailed to 



26 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

the south, skirting the Atlantic coast of North America as 
far as Cape Hatteras. 

After this no one seems to know what happened to the 
expedition. We cannot say for certain that it returned to 
England ; neither can we affirm that the ships were lost at sea. 

His Memory Forgotten. — For many years after Cabot's 
voyages, his memory was almost forgotten. This accounts 
in a measure for the scanty amount of facts of his early life 
and his unaccountable death which history possesses. 

The people of his age regarded a voyage of exploration 
and discovery purely as a business venture. It can be 
truly said that if this great Italian sailor had brought back 
to England a shipload of gold, or if he had procured for the 
English people a cargo of precious stones, his name would 
have been heralded in the history of all times as one of the 
greatest discoverers and navigators of the world. The 
mere finding of a new country, however, was hardly worth 
mentioning. 

No matter what has been thought or written about the 
great expeditions of John Cabot, every inhabitant of North 
America owes him a debt of gratitude for the daring voy- 
ages which he made to our continent. 

Columbus and Cabot. — We do not wish to take away one 
iota of the glory which rightfully belongs to Columbus. 
He, it is true, showed the way to cross the Atlantic, but 
Cabot first landed on the mainland of North America. 
It makes no difference to us under what auspices these dis- 
coveries were made. Columbus sailed under the Spanish 
flag, while Cabot flew the English flag. Both of these men 
were capable seamen. They were gifted with logical minds ; 
and they did their own thinking. They surmounted all 
obstacles and they knew no such thing as fear. They were 



JOHN CABOT 27 

at heart practical Catholics and, when they landed on the 
newly found countries of Central and North America, they 
erected the cross of Jesus Christ as a token of their religious 
belief. 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

I. What is known of the youthful days of John Cabot ? 2. Describe 
the great city of Venice. 3. What did Marco Polo tell us regarding 
Cipango ? 4. How did John Cabot succeed in getting his ship ready ? 
5. Where did he make a landing and what did he do ? 6. Why did the 
people of England rejoice ? 7. Mention a few things that he saw on 
the first voyage. 8. Give an idea of the second voyage and the course 
followed. 9. What prevented Cabot going farther north than New- 
foundland ? 10. What part of the Atlantic coast did he explore ? 

II. What happened to the expedition? 12. Did a knowledge of geog- 
raphy have anything to do with the voyage of Cabot ? 13. Show that 
all Americans owe a debt of gratitude to Cabot. 14. Compare the 
labors of Cabot with those of Columbus and Vespucius. 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

I. Venice and Genoa were once the great commercial centers of Europe, 
and even at the present time they are among the most interesting 
cities of the world. Study the history of these two important 
municipalities. 
II. To study history well it is necessary to know something about 
the various countries mentioned in the text. Be prepared then 
to tell the class about India, China, Japan, England, Labrador, 
and Newfoundland. 

III. Read about Marco Polo, Sir John Mandeville, Prince Henry, the 

Navigator, and Toscanelli, and tell what, in your opinion, made 
them famous. 

IV. Prepare a brief account of the life of St. Mark, the patron saint 

of Venice, with a view of telling the class about him. 
V. Make drawings of the American Flag, the English Flag, and the 

Italian Flag, and be ready to contrast them. 
VI. Discuss in class: "Did Cabot's discoveries give England a claim 
to North America ?" 



28 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 

aromatic, &r'6 m&t'ik Khan, kan, kan 

Asiatic, a/shi at'Ik Labrador, l&b'rd dor' 

auspices, os'pl sez legendary, lej'en da ri 

Bristol, bris't^l Marco Polo, mar'ko po'lo 

Cipango, si p&r/g6 Newfoundland, nu'fwnd land' 

Hatteras, hat'er as Sebastian, sa bas'tyan' 

iota, I 6'td Venice , vgn'is 



BALBOA 

His Birth. — Seventeen years before the discovery of 
America by Columbus, there was born, in Spain, a child 
who was destined to engrave his name on the pages of 
history as one of the bravest and most heroic navigators of 
all times. This boy was Vasco Nunez de Balboa, the 
courageous discoverer of the Pacific Ocean. 

Descended from an honorable family, Balboa received 
only an ordinary education ; for, at an early age, he en- 
tered the service of a Spanish nobleman. 

Balboa Crosses the Atlantic. — At the age of twenty- 
five, in the year 1500, Balboa decided that he would seek 
his fortune in the New World. Accordingly he joined an 
expedition for the shores of America. After a long and 
perilous voyage, he landed at Darien. Here the com- 
mander and his men made friends of the natives, and col- 
lected a large amount of gold and pearls. When these 
had been placed on board, they found that the ships had 
been injured by a worm which abounds in the water of the 
Torrid Zone. 

Having repaired the vessels as best they could, they 
embarked for Spain ; but, before they had gone very far, 
they were obliged to cast anchor at a small island near 
San Domingo. As soon as the necessary repairs had been 
made, the vessels again sailed for Spain. This time a 
terrific gale drove them back to port. While waiting for 
favorable weather, the Spaniards made a thorough ex- 

29 



30 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

amination of the worm-eaten vessels, and found them 
entirely unsafe to cross the Atlantic. 

Balboa Becomes a Farmer. — Some time later, other 
ships were fitted out to carry the gold and pearls to Spain. 
Balboa, however, did not go back to his native land, but 
turned his attention to farming. Unfortunately his ad- 
venturous nature was not suited to the ordinary work of 
a farmer. Instead of making money at the business, he 
fell into debt. This brought on restlessness and discourage- 
ment. Realizing that something had to be done, he de- 
termined to embark on another voyage of discovery and 
exploration. 

Fearing lest the people to whom he owed money would 
have him cast into prison were he to leave the neighborhood, 
Balboa placed himself in a barrel which was carried on 
board a ship just as she was about to sail. When the ves- 
sel was some distance from the shore, Balboa, to the great 
astonishment of those on board, came forth from his hiding- 
place. At first the Captain was very angry and threat- 
ened to put him oflF on the first uninhabited island ; but, 
when Balboa made himself useful, the Captain allowed 
him to remain. 

Balboa Offers a Suggestion. — The first landing of the 
expedition was made at San Sebastian. Here the Indians 
attacked the Spaniards with the utmost fury, and forced 
them to return to their ships. This incident was a source 
of discouragement to Captain Enciso. Just then Balboa 
went to the Captain, and told him of a place in Darien 
where the natives were well disposed, and where an abun- 
dance of pearls and gold could be easily secured. This timely 
information buoyed up the spirits of the Spaniards. Ac- 
cordingly, with light hearts they set sail for the spot. 




Balboa Trying to Escape 



3i 



32 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

Within a short distance of their destination they landed. 
Contrary to their expectations, they were attacked by five 
hundred warlike natives ; but the bows and arrows of the 
Indians were no match for the firearms of the Spaniards. 
The natives were thus put to flight after a short contest; 
and when Captain Enciso entered the village, he found 
an abundance of provisions and a large quantity of 
gold. 

In the absence of the royal governor, he took command 
of the colony. He was in many ways unfitted for the 
office. He was too strict. He did not take into account 
the men with whom he had to deal. Consequently, he 
was soon afterward deposed, and Balboa became governor. 

Balboa Leads an Expedition to Coyba. — Guided by 
two Spaniards who had been treated very kindly by Careta, 
the Indian chief of Coyba, Balboa led an expedition to that 
part of the country. The native chief welcomed the Span- 
iards most heartily. Balboa then asked him for provisions. 
The latter said that he had none to spare. 

" Don't believe him," said one of the Spaniards, " I 
know that he is not telling the truth." 

Pretending that they were satisfied with the chief's 
answer, the Europeans left the village. That very night, 
when the Indians were asleep, they returned, plundered 
the little town, killed many of the natives, and took pris- 
oner the chief, his wife, and children. 

This action of the Spaniards frightened the chief. He 
appealed to Balboa for mercy, and said that he was will- 
ing to enter into a treaty of peace and friendship with the 
white men. The Spanish commander was only too willing 
to sign the treaty and earn the good will of the natives. 
With the help of Careta, Balboa and his men then explored 



BALBOA 33 

the neighboring country and made friends of the Indians, 
or conquered them, if they resisted the commander's 
authority. 

A Quarrel about Gold. — In their tours of exploration, 
the Spaniards obtained large quantities of gold and other 
metals from the natives. On one occasion, as Balboa was 
dividing the spoils among his men, a quarrel ensued re- 
garding the proper share to be given to each. Careta's 
son, who happened to be looking on, said : 

" Why do you quarrel about such a trifle ? I can tell 
you about a place where gold is so plentiful that the natives 
eat their food out of golden vessels." 

The Spaniards listened with rapt attention to the Indian. 
They did not wish to miss a word that he said. The chief's 
son then continued : 

" This place is situated beyond high and rocky moun- 
tains very difficult to cross. When you reach there, you 
will find a vast amount of gold." 

Balboa Undertakes the Journey. — Guided by a num- 
ber of Indians, Balboa and his followers set out for the 
much-desired country. On their way thither, they met 
an Indian chief who thought that he and his warriors could 
prevent them from crossing his territory. However, the 
smoke and the report of the Spanish guns soon terrified the 
natives, who scampered off to the mountains, leaving a 
large amount of gold and jewels to the Spaniards. 

Delighted with the result of their recent encounter, the 
Spaniards began to climb the high mountain. When they 
were nearing the highest peak, Balboa ordered his men 
to rest while he ascended alone. Imagine how his heart 
must have beat with joy when he saw for the first time the 
vast Pacific Ocean. Being a practical Catholic, he knelt 



34 



STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 



and thanked Almighty God for having allowed him to 
make such a wonderful discovery. 

Balboa then beckoned to his men to ascend and witness 
the grand sight. Their delight knew no bounds. As soon 
as all had enjoyed the beauty of the scene, the Catholic 
priest who accompanied the party chanted the opening 




Balboa Discovers the Pacific Ocean 



words of the Te Deum. This was the signal for all to sing 
that beautiful and inspiring hymn of praise and thanks- 
giving. Balboa subsequently ordered a large tree to be 
cut down, made into a cross, and erected on the very spot 
where he first saw the Pacific Ocean. 



BALBOA 35 

Balboa Takes Possession of the Pacific Ocean. — The 

Spaniards then went down the mountain on the opposite 
side. As they approached the shore, an Indian chief, with 
a large number of warriors, attacked the white men. After 
the Spaniards had fired their guns and had given the blood- 
hounds their liberty, the natives begged for mercy. They 
did more : they brought generous presents of gold to the 
explorers. 

When Balboa and his followers reached the Pacific, the 
tide had receded. Under the shade of a large tree, they 
waited for its return. As the waves came rushing towards 
them, Balboa, with a sword in one hand and a banner of 
the Blessed Virgin in the other, waded knee-deep into the 
water, and took possession of that vast ocean in the name 
of the King and the Queen of Spain. 

Balboa Explores a Neighboring Island. — Wishing to 
secure a larger supply of provisions, gold, and pearls, Balboa 
and his men decided to explore a neighboring island. The 
Indians tried to dissuade them. They told them that the 
sea thereabout was especially dangerous. The Spanish 
sailors, however, paid no attention to their counsel, but 
started at once in frail canoes. All day long they were 
tossed about by the driving wind and waves. Toward 
evening the storm became less violent, and they landed 
on the island. Having fastened their canoes to a tree near 
the shore, the Spaniards took a much needed rest. They 
were soon afterwards awakened by the roaring of the waves 
and the whistling of the wind. They then perceived that 
the rolling tide was gradually climbing up the sides of the 
island. To avoid drowning, they climbed to the highest 
part, but, as they did so, the water followed them. 

The Spaniards were thoroughly frightened. Their pre- 



36 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

dicament reminded them of the Flood ; and they won- 
dered what was going to become of them. They were al- 
ready standing in water knee-deep. They called upon 
the Saviour to come to their assistance, and they implored 
the Blessed Virgin to save them from a watery grave. Just 
then the water began to abate. When they were able to 
get to their canoes, they left the island without delay and 
returned to the mainland. 

In Search of Gold and Pearls. — Balboa continued his 
explorations of the surrounding country, and succeeded in 
making friends of the Indian chiefs, and in obtaining from 
them generous presents of gold and pearls. At last the 
Spaniards had so much gold and other valuables that they 
could carry only a small amount of provisions. On this ac- 
count they were on more than one occasion threatened with 
starvation on their homeward march. 

To be brief, the expedition, after suffering many hard- 
ships, landed at Santa Maria on January 19, 1514. Every 
Spaniard in the town turned out to receive Balboa and his 
party; and, when the colonists saw that there was a large 
amount of gold and other precious metals on board, they 
were delighted beyond measure. 

The Enemies of Balboa at Work. — When Captain 
Enciso returned to Spain, he did everything in his power 
to blacken the character of Balboa ; and, what is more to 
be regretted, he succeeded in doing so. The result was 
that the Spanish King was very much displeased with the 
discoverer of the Pacific Ocean, and sent out a new governor 
to take his place. 

No sooner had he done so than a ship loaded with gold 
and pearls arrived in Spain. When the Spanish King read 
the report which Balboa had sent him, and realized that he 



BALBOA 37 

had discovered a new ocean, and when he saw the large 
quantity of gold and pearls sent to him by the Governor of 
Darien, he was deeply grieved for having believed the cal- 
umnies of Captain Enciso. He thereupon gave orders to 
his counselors to think of some way in which Balboa could 
be sufficiently rewarded for his great work. 

Davila Arrives in America. — In June, 1514, the new 
governor, Davila, arrived at Darien. It was a great sur- 
prise to the colonists. They were satisfied with Balboa, 
and they saw no reason why he should have been cast aside. 
In fact they desired to take up arms to prevent the new 
governor from landing. Balboa, however, persuaded them 
not to do so. 

The new governor, desiring to have a true account of 
the condition of the colony, had a long conference with 
Balboa. When the latter had given him all the informa- 
tion he needed, Davila took every occasion to show his dis- 
like for Balboa. The Governor's jealousy became so in- 
tense that the discoverer of the Pacific was thrown into 
prison and brought to trial on a framed-up charge ; and, 
had it not been for the influence of the Bishop of Darien, 
he would have been declared guilty. 

The Beginning of the End. — Governor Davila was a 
mean, jealous man, who could not bear to have in his sight 
such a popular hero as Balboa. He proposed to send him 
back to Spain, but his counselors said that such a course 
would serve merely to call special attention to the true 
greatness of the discoverer of the Pacific. 

After a few months the King of Spain appointed Balboa 
Lieutenant-Governor of the Southern Sea and Governor of 
the province of Panama and Coyba. These new honors 
conferred on Balboa served to make Davila more spiteful. 



38 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

The Governor soon found out that the people of the colony 
thought much more of Balboa than they did of himself. 
This of course added to his fears. The Bishop of Darien 
once more came to the rescue. He advised Governor 
Davila to give his daughter in marriage to Balboa, and 
thus end the bitter feeling that existed between himself 
and his fellow countryman. As Davila thought well of 
the Bishop's advice, he sent for Balboa, invited him to 
become his son-in-law, and to assist in the government of 
the colony. 

A Light in the Shadow. — The recent action of the Gov- 
ernor brought a ray of hope to the heart of Balboa. He 
was, moreover, given permission to build some vessels for 
another voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Before he was ready 
to sail, it was rumored that a new governor had been ap- 
pointed in place of Davila. Wishing to ascertain how 
much truth there was in what he had heard, he sent one 
of his trusted followers to the seat of government in the 
colony. 

The man whom Balboa sent to find out whether there 
was any truth in the rumor turned out to be his worst 
enemy. Instead of doing the work for which he was sent, 
he went directly to Governor Davila and gave him a false 
impression regarding the plans of Balboa. He insinuated 
that the Governor's son-in-law was planning and scheming 
to establish a colony of his own. These false accusations 
and one or two other trifling matters caused Balboa to be 
recalled and placed in prison to await trial. 

Balboa Asserts His Innocence. — When Governor Davila 
visited Balboa in prison and accused him of trying to throw 
off the authority of the Spanish King, the discoverer of the 
Pacific replied with indignation : " If I were guilty, what 



BALBOA 



39 



would have induced me to come here and place myself in 
your hands ? If I had intended to rebel against the King, 
what prevented me from doing so ? I had four ships ready 
to sail and an open sea before me. What had I to do but 
to spread sail and press forward ? There was no doubt 
but that I might find a land, whether rich or poor, which 
would furnish enough for me and mine, where I should 
have been entirely free from your control. Knowing that 
I was innocent, however, I came here the moment you 
sent for me. What is my reward ? Slander, insult, chains." 
Balboa Found Guilty. — Balboa's protest had no good 
effect on the Governor. It served only to embitter him 



«*«¥t 




Balboa Led to Execution 



against his son-in-law. In due time the trial began. 
Everything that jealous and envious minds could invent 
was brought against the discoverer. At length he was 



40 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

declared guilty ; but it was recommended that he should be 
treated mercifully on account of the great work that he 
had done. 

Davila, however, would not listen to the plea for mercy. 
He said : " If Balboa has deserved death, he shall die." 
The colonists almost to a man believed that he was not 
guilty, and that the witnesses had not proved the charge. 
Yet they were afraid to say a good word for their former 
leader lest they should share his sad fate. 

The Morning of the Execution. — The awful morning 
arrived. Balboa was led to the place of execution. Be- 
fore him walked the town crier, shouting : " This is the 
punishment soon to be inflicted by the command of the 
Spanish King and his lieutenant, Governor Davila, on this 
man for his traitorous conduct toward the Crown." 

These false words stung Balboa to the quick. In his 
indignation he exclaimed : " The charge is false ; never did 
such a crime enter my mind. I have always served my 
King with truth and loyalty, and I have tried to enlarge 
his dominions." 

At the place of execution the Catholic priest, after giv- 
ing Balboa the ministrations of the Church, took leave of 
him just before he ascended the scaffold. Then the dis- 
coverer of the Pacific, with the courage and fortitude of 
an innocent man, laid his head upon the block for the cruel 
blows of the executioner. 

Thus died, in the prime of life, Balboa, one of the great- 
est explorers of America. 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

i. Give an account of the early years of Balboa. 2. On what 
part of America did he first land? 3. What prevented the Spaniards 
from carrying to Spain the gold and pearls they found at Darien ? 



BALBOA 41 

4. What was Balboa's experience as a farmer? 5. How did he escape 
his creditors ? 6. Tell how the Spaniards entered Darien. 7. Would 
you have liked to live under Captain Enciso as governor of Darien ? 
8. How did Balboa conquer the Indian chief, Careta ? 9. When the 
Spaniards quarreled about their share of gold, what did Careta's son say 
to them ? 10. Describe Balboa's progress towards the Pacific Ocean. 

II. In what way did he show that he was a Catholic? 12. Give an 
account of his taking possession of the Pacific Ocean. 13. Relate 
Balboa's experience on a neighboring island. 14. How did he succeed 
in getting more gold than he and his men could carry? 15. What did 
Captain Enciso do when he returned to Spain ? 16. How did the 
people receive the new Governor, Davila ? 17. What treatment did 
Balboa receive from him? 18. What good deed was performed by the 
Bishop of Darien ? 19. State the false accusations that were brought 
against Balboa by his would-be friend. 20. Give Balboa's reply. 21. 
Tell the outcome of the trial. 22. Describe what took place the morn- 
ing of the execution. 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

I. Every young American is undoubtedly proud of the Panama Canal, 
and the part which the United States had in building it. Study 
the geography and history of Darien or Panama, and write for 
class work a short account of the history of the Panama Canal. 
II. Compare the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific in regard to size, 
temperature, and ocean currents. 

III. Learn all you can about the Te Deum, and note especially when 

and why it is sung or recited. 

IV. Read the account of the Flood found in the sixth chapter of Genesis, 

and state what incident in the foregoing story recalls it to mind. 
V. Discuss in class: " Who was more responsible for the execution of 
Balboa, — Governor Davila, or the Spanish King who sent him 
to supersede Balboa?" 

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 

Careta, kar a'ta Te Deum, ta da/um 

Coyba, koi'ba Vasco Nunez de Balboa, vas'ko 

Davila, da've la noon'yath da bal bo'a 
Enciso, gn the'so 



THE FIRST PRIEST ORDAINED IN AMERICA 

Father Las Casas. — If you look at the map of Spain, 
you will notice that the once-famous city of Seville is situ- 
ated on the Guadalquivir River, about fifty miles from the 
Atlantic Ocean. In this once-renowned commercial cen- 
ter, in the year 1474, was born the first priest ordained in 
America, the Rev. Bartholomew Las Casas. 

This child, who in later years became the Protector of 
the Indians of America, was descended from a noble family. 
His education appears to have been received in the schools 
of his native city and at the famous University of Salamanca. 

History tells us very little about the youthful days of 
Las Casas. He was doubtless, like many other children of 
his native country, a lover of flowers and manly sports. 
At school he was noted for his serious manner and for his 
unusual application to study. 

The Discovery of America. — When Las Casas had 
reached the age of eighteen or nineteen, the great Christo- 
pher Columbus returned to Spain. The success of his 
daring voyage must have fired the heart of the young 
Spanish nobleman for, after graduating with high honors 
from the University of Salamanca, he decided to visit the 
New World. Accordingly he left his native land in 1502, 
and arrived with twenty-five hundred of his fellow coun- 
trymen a few months later at San Domingo. 

When Las Casas had finished his course at Salamanca, 
he was admitted to the bar, that is, he was permitted to 
practice law; but there is nothing to show that he fol- 

42 




Father Las Casas, the Defender of the Indians 



43 



44 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

lowed this calling in the New World. After landing on the 
American continent, he must have used one of the three 
prevalent ways of making a living: (i) Bartering trinkets 
with the Indians for their gold, (2) mining, or (3) farming. 

Raised to the Priesthood. — Judging from the character 
of Las Casas, we should say that from the year 1502 to 
1 5 10 he was either a farmer or a miner. During this time 
he must have given some thought to the question of his 
vocation; for, toward the end of 15 10, he was raised to the 
priesthood. This first ordination in the New World was 
the occasion of general rejoicing among the American 
colonists. Little did they think that Father Las Casas 
would in a few years become the Protector of the Indians 
and the fearless accuser of unscrupulous Spaniards. 

It must be borne in mind that many of the Spaniards 
who accompanied Columbus on his voyages to America 
were money-making adventurers who cared little or nothing 
for the Christianizing of the Indians. When these Europeans 
found gold in many of the islands, the natives were compelled 
to work for them in the mines. Worse than this, groups of 
irresponsible Spaniards sometimes plundered the supplies of 
the Indians and carried off their women and children. 

The natives, who at first regarded the white men as 
people who came from heaven, soon began to look upon 
them as the worst kind of persecutors ; and, in the course 
of time, energetic efforts were made to expel the pale-faces 
from the West Indies. 

A Dreadful Practice. — It was about this time that 
bloodhounds were used by the Spaniards to terrorize and 
to bring the Indians to terms. On one occasion twenty 
of these ferocious animals were let loose like wolves among 
a flock of lambs, and hundreds of the natives were torn to 



THE FIRST PRIEST ORDAINED IN AMERICA 



45 



pieces. In this shocking manner, the inhabitants in some 
of the islands were forced to yield to the white men. Then 
it was that tributes of gold were exacted from the Indians. 
Those who could not pay deserted their farms and mines 
and fled to the mountains. 

Many of the first Spanish settlers in America, as we have 
already said, were " money mad." In addition to this, 




The Bloodhounds Attacking the Indians 



they were lazy. Some of them preferred hunger to work. 
Consequently the Europeans saw the need of pressing the 
natives into service. At their urgent request, Columbus 
asked the Spanish government to allow him to divide the 
Indians of the different islands among the Spanish settlers. 
Spain granted the favor, and the Indians became the slaves 
of the white men. 

In justice to Columbus, it must be said that he did not 
intend that this allotment of the Indians should last more 
than a few years ; but his successors, Bobadilla and Ovando, 
made the slavery of the Indians lawful. 



46 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

The Franciscans and the Dominicans. — The Francis- 
cans have the honor of being the first Religious Order to 
arrive in the New World in 1493 : three or four secular 
priests came at the same time. Seventeen years later, 
in 1510, three Dominican Fathers landed at San Domingo, 
and here founded their first community in America. Their 
influence in the New World was soon felt. Many little 
abuses which had crept into the Spaniards' way of living 
were soon stamped out ; but the worst abuse of all, the 
enslaving of the Indians, was not corrected. The follow- 
ers of St. Dominic felt that some steps should be taken to 
better the condition of the natives. After giving the 
subject much thought, it was decided that one of the Fathers 
should preach a special sermon on the cruel and barbarous 
treatment of the Indians by some Spaniards. 

A Memorable Sermon. — In due time the sermon was 
written, read by the Fathers, and then signed by each. 
All the Spaniards, from the Governor down, were invited 
to be present at the Dominican church on the first Sunday 
of Lent, 1 5 11. 

This particular day came and the church was thronged 
with Spaniards, who expected to hear some startling news 
or some pleasant surprise. The surprise came, but it was 
anything but pleasant, for the preacher accused many of 
the Spaniards of being unjust, cruel, and barbarous. 

Taking for his text, " I am the voice of One crying in the 
wilderness," Father Montesino said : 

" I ascend this pulpit to let you know that I am the 
voice of Christ crying in the wilderness of this island. 
Hence it is meet that you listen to my words with no or- 
dinary attention, but with all the power of your souls and 
your five senses. 



THE FIRST PRIEST ORDAINED IN AMERICA 47 

" Tell me, with what right and with what justice do you 
subject the Indians to so cruel and so horrible a slavery ? 
With what authority do you wage your abominable wars 
against these people, — many of whom you have slaugh- 
tered ? Why do you overburden them with work, and why 
do you not always give them sufficient food to keep them 
from starving ? Nay, why do you kill them daily with 
excessive labor that they may bring you gold ? What 
steps have you taken to have them know God, their Cre- 
ator, to be baptized, to hear Mass on Sundays and Holy- 
days ? Are you not bound to love them as yourselves ? 
Rest assured that in the state in which many of you are 
now living, you can no more save your souls than the Moors 
or the Jews who do not believe in Jesus Christ." 

The Result of the Sermon. — On that very afternoon 
the Spaniards of San Domingo sent a deputation to the 
Dominican Fathers, demanding that the preacher should 
on the next Sunday withdraw his insulting words. When 
the superior of the Dominicans would not consent to their 
request, the Spaniards threatened that dire punishment 
would be meted out to the preacher. 

On the following Sunday Father Montesino, nothing 
daunted, preached a still more severe sermon against the 
unjust slavery of the Indians. He proved that everything 
he said in his first sermon was true ; and he asserted that 
the Spaniards' treatment of the Ind ans was crying to 
heaven for vengeance. 

Las Casas as Chaplain. — Such was the deplorable con- 
dition of the Indians when Las Casas was ordained a priest 
in the year 1510. A few months after his ordination, the 
Governor of Cuba invited him to be chaplain of his army. 
In this trying and difficult position, Father Las Casas, by 



48 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

his kindness and thoughtfulness, won the respect and 
confidence of the Indians. 

After spending about two years as chaplain of the army 
in Cuba, Father Las Casas was awarded one of the best 
sections of the island, and the Indians of the neighbor- 
hood to be used as slaves. A few years later he gave up 
this property, because he realized that the slavery of the 
Indians was unjust, and that he, a priest of God, should not 
grow rich on slave labor. The Governor of the island tried 
to dissuade him, but it was useless. Father Las Casas 
had made up his mind to spend the rest of his life pro- 
tecting, defending, and Christianizing the Indians of 
America. 

Las Casas Calls on the King. — After a few months 
Father Las Casas went to Spain to appeal directly to King 
Ferdinand in behalf of the Indians. Here he found many 
obstacles. The Spanish settlers in America had powerful 
friends at court. These tried in every way to counteract 
the words of Las Casas. They accused him of being a 
born disturber who thought more of the Indians than he 
did of his fellow countrymen. Notwithstanding their cal- 
umnies, Father Las Casas gained his point. He was made 
the official Protector of the Indians in America, and three 
Fathers of St. Jerome were appointed commissioners to 
look into the question of Indian slavery. 

Before leaving for America, the three commissioners 
were influenced more or less by the friends of the Spanish 
colonists. When they reached their destination additional 
pressure was brought to bear on them. As a result, they 
were only half-hearted in their aid to better the condition 
of the Indians. Father Las Casas left no one in doubt as 
to the object of his mission. He boldly told the Spanish 



THE FIRST PRIEST ORDAINED IN AMERICA 49 

officials in the New World that it was the wish of the King 
that the natives should not be kept in slavery. 

The Spanish officials, however, were not willing to free 
their slaves. Such a course would interfere with their 
money-making schemes. The three commissioners seemed 
to be wavering as to whether the measure was necessary. 
In this predicament the Protector of the Indians went 
again to Spain to let the King know the real state of affairs 
in the New World. 

His Work at the Spanish Court. — During the following 
five years Father Las Casas tried to have more stringent 
laws passed to better the condition of the Indians. The 
colonists in America, too, had their representative at the 
Spanish Court. Nevertheless, the Protector of the In- 
dians was successful : the Fathers of St. Jerome were re- 
called, and Las Casas' scheme of colonization approved. 

Toward the end of the year 1520, Father Las Casas 
sailed for the New World and a few weeks later arrived 
at Porto Rico. Previous to his landing, a number of Span- 
iards had come to the Island to procure some Indian slaves. 
Owing to the good work of the Dominicans, the native 
Indians treated the Spaniards kindly; but when the Eu- 
ropeans seized and carried into captivity a number of the 
natives, the anger of the Indians knew no bounds. Every 
white person whom they could seize was put to death. 
On this account, Father Las Casas went to San Domingo. 
Here the royal decrees were published, but unfortunately 
they were never enforced by the Spanish officials. 

Las Casas Becomes a Dominican. — Very much dis- 
appointed and discouraged, Father Las Casas betook him- 
self to the Dominican convent. After some weeks spent 
in prayer, he entered the Dominican Order in 1521. The 



50 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

succeeding four or five years were spent in making his 
novitiate. This period of study and prayer served to fit 
him for the very onerous duties which later fell to his lot. 

It happened that there was one Indian chief on the is- 
land of Hispaniola (now called Haiti) who had never been 
conquered by the Spanish forces. For ten years he and 
his followers had lived in the hills and mountains of this 
country in spite of the Spaniards. They did more : they 
often put the soldiers of Spain to flight. 

In the year 1529, one of the Spanish captains was ordered 
to crush the defiant chief. Before attempting to do so, he 
went to Father Las Casas and asked him to use his influ- 
ence in pacifying these people. The Protector of the 
Indians thereupon prevailed on the natives to cease their 
warfare on the white men and to pledge allegiance to the 
King of Spain. 

The Conquest of Peru. — About the year 1530 Francisco 
Pizarro received permission from the Spanish Crown to 
conquer the inhabitants of Peru. When Father Las Casas 
heard what Pizarro intended to do, he went immediately to 
Spain and obtained a decree forbidding any one to treat the 
natives of Peru as unjustly as those of the West Indies. 
With great haste Father Las Casas returned to America, 
and set out for a place near Guayaquil where Pizarro was 
encamped. Without fear or trembling . he presented the 
decree to the Spanish leader. Thereupon all the officers 
and soldiers promised to obey the royal commands. Las 
Casas then returned to Nicaragua where a Dominican con- 
vent was built. 

Father Las Casas and two or three other Dominicans 
went to Guatemala about 1535 to begin missionary work 
among the inhabitants of that country. Not long after- 



THE FIRST PEIEST ORDAINED IN AMERICA 51 

ward, orders came from the King of Spain that everything 
should be done to convert the Indians to Christianity. 
The Spanish colonists argued that it was impossible to 
Christianize the natives in a peaceful manner; but Father 
Las Casas was convinced that it could be done. The Gov- 
ernor of Guatemala accordingly permitted the Dominicans 
to undertake the work. 

Contrary to the opinion of the colonists, the Dominican 
Fathers converted the most ferocious and warlike tribe of 
Indians in Guatemala without shedding a drop of blood. 
In order that these converts should not be ill-treated by the 
Spaniards, Father Las Casas returned once more to Spain. 
The result of his visit was that further laws protecting the 
Indians were enacted by the Spanish government. 

Las Casas Becomes a Bishop. — At the beginning of the 
year 1543, the Spanish government was holding session at 
Barcelona. Father Las Casas went there to thank the 
King for having made new laws in favor of the red men. 
On this occasion the Protector of the Indians was offered 
a bishopric in Peru, — an honor which he respectfully de- 
clined. However, he was shortly afterward appointed 
Bishop of Chiapas in Mexico, and was consecrated in Se- 
ville, March 31, 1544. That same year, after a most tire- 
some journey, he reached Chiapas. 

Spain had decreed that the American Indians who had 
been enslaved by the Spaniards should be set free. Bishop 
Las Casas tried in every possible way to have the decrees 
enforced, but without success. Later on, when they were 
partly repealed by the government, Bishop Las Casas made 
up his mind to return to Spain to plead the cause of the 
children of the forest. 

Literary Work of Las Casas. — Bishop Las Casas, in the 



52 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

course of his busy and zealous life, took time to write not 
only a " General History of the Indies/ 5 but also a number 
of smaller works in defense of the American Indians. 

When the brave and saintly bishop was approaching 
death, his fellow Dominicans knelt around his humble bed 
and recited the prayers for the dying. He then asked their 
forgiveness for any offenses that he might have committed, 
and begged them to continue his work in behalf of the In- 
dians. A few moments later, holding in one hand a blessed 
candle and in the other a crucifix, the first priest ordained 
in America expired. 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

I. What is known of the early years of Father Las Casas ? 2. How 
did the discovery of the New World influence him ? 3. After spending 
eight years in America, what important step did Las Casas take ? 
4. Give an idea of the first Spanish colonists in America. 5. How did they 
impress the Indians ? 6. Why did the Indians later regard them with 
animosity ? 7. What brought about the enslavement of the Indians ? 
8. Is Columbus to be blamed for the manner in which the Spaniards 
treated them ? 9. Give an account of the coming of the Franciscans 
and the Dominicans. 10. What startling event took place on the first 
Sunday of Lent, 151 1 ? 11. Tell what Father Montesino said in his 
first sermon. 12. State the result of his sermon. 13. What is to 
be said of Father Las Casas' work as a chaplain ? 14. Explain why 
Father Las Casas gave up his property. 15. Why did he return to 
Spain ? 16. State the result of his visit. 17. Why was his work on 
behalf of the Indians very difficult? 18. What did Father Las Casas 
accomplish by his second visit to the Spanish King? 19. What turned 
the Indians of Porto Rico against the Spaniards ? 20. Why did the 
colonists pay no attention to the royal decrees? 21. Relate the next 
important step taken by Father Las Casas. 22. How did he handle the 
defiant Indian chief? 23. Why did he interfere in the conquest of 
Peru ? 24. How did Father Las Casas and his fellow priests succeed 
in Guatemala ? 25. What was the purpose of his third visit to Spain ? 
26. What great honor was conferred upon him ? 27. Did he succeed. 



THE FIRST PRIEST ORDAINED IN AMERICA 53 

in enforcing the royal decrees in regard to the Indians ? 28. After 
returning to Spain what did he do ? 29. Describe the last hours of the 
Protector of the Indians. 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

I. The poet Longfellow says : 

" Lives of great men all remind us 
We can make our lives sublime. " 

Read about St. Francis of Assisi and St. Dominic, and be ready 
to tell the class what, in your judgment, made their lives sublime. 
II. Collect as many interesting facts and pictures as you can of Guate- 
mala, Peru, and Nicaragua. 

III. Draw a map of Central America, and mark the places visited by 

Father Las Casas. 

IV. Discuss in class: "Was Bishop Las Casas a brave, unselfish man?" 

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 

Barcelona, bar'se lo'nd Las Casas, las ka'sas 

Chiapas, che a/pas Montesino, mon ta se'no 

deputation, dep'u ta/simn onerous, on'er ua 

Guadalquivir, go'ddl kwlv'er Ovando, 6 van'do 

Guatemala, gwa/ta ma'ld Pizarro, pi zar'ro 

Guayaquil, gwi'a kel' Salamanca, s&l'd m&n/kd 

Hispaniola, his'pdn yo'ld stringent, stringent 



PONCE DE LEON 

His Early Years. — More than four hundred years ago 
a Spanish nobleman said to his little son, " When you grow 
to manhood, my boy, what do you intend to be ? ' With 
all the chivalry of a Spaniard, the child quickly replied : 
" When I am a man, papa, I intend to be a soldier." 

The boy who made this answer, Ponce de Leon, was 
born about the year 1460 in Aragon in the northern part of 
Spain. The chief object of his early education was to fit 
him for the life of a Christian soldier. We can imagine 
his pious mother telling him about God and the duties of 
his religion. We can see his proud father directing every- 
thing to promote the physical development of his son. 
Long walks, mountain climbing, running, jumping, and 
other games were among the exercises which he took daily 
under the watchful eye of his father. 

Before Ponce de Leon had reached the age of manhood, 
we find him engaged as a page in one of the Spanish courts. 
While thus employed, he must have heard of the great 
Christopher Columbus and the difficulty he had in getting 
some rich person interested in his plan of finding a new 
water route to India. Before the Great Admiral had suc- 
ceeded in securing the aid of King Ferdinand and Queen 
Isabella of Spain, Ponce de Leon was busily engaged fight- 
ing the Moors, who, seven centuries before, had obtained 
a foothold in the Spanish kingdom. In that war the 
Spaniards fought so bravely and performed so many feats 

54 



PONCE DE LEON 55 

of valor that, before the end of the year 1493, the Moors 
were driven from the country. 

Ponce's Bravery. — During the contest between the 
Spaniards and the Moors, Ponce de Leon gave many ex- 
hibitions of his strength, ability, and fearlessness. He was 
always found in the thickest of the fight, encouraging his 
comrades and striking terror into the hearts of his oppo- 
nents. He fought so brilliantly and successfully against 
the Moors that when the war came to an end he was re- 
garded by many as the bravest soldier in Spain. He was 
truly " a lion by name and a lion by nature." 

It is said on good authority that shortly after the Moors 
had been expelled from Spain, Ponce de Leon embarked 
with Christopher Columbus on his second voyage of dis- 
covery. Unfortunately we have no facts regarding what he 
did and saw during that trip. Nine years later, on Feb- 
ruary 13, 1502, he sailed with Ovando to the West Indies to 
secure more territory and riches for the Spanish monarch. 
In this expedition there were about thirty ships, carrying 
twenty-five hundred people. 

It was unfortunate for our hero that he sailed with such 
an unmerciful and unscrupulous fellow countryman as 
Nicholas de Ovando. The cruel manner in which the lat- 
ter dealt with the inhabitants of the islands he conquered 
is beyond belief. The poor Indians were treated more like 
dogs than human beings ; and, sad to say, Ponce de Leon 
assisted him in the diabolical work. 

Governor of Eastern Haiti. — As a recompense for his 
work in conquering the Indians, Ponce de Leon was made 
governor of the eastern section of San Domingo or Haiti. 
While filling this office, the Governor and his soldiers paid 
a friendly visit to Porto Rico, one of the neighboring is- 



56 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

lands. The fertile valleys and the beautiful mountains of 
the place delighted the Spaniards ; and when they heard 
that there was an abundance of gold in the island, their 
joy knew no bounds. 

After returning to Haiti, Ponce de Leon wrote to the 
King of Spain for permission to conquer the people of 
Porto Rico. As soon as this request was granted, he set 
out with a great expedition to subdue the Porto Ricans. 
The Spaniards found the task much more difficult than 
they had expected. It took several months to conquer 
these Indians, who used the bow and arrow with wonder- 
ful skill. When the Spaniards had gained possession of 
Porto Rico, Ponce de Leon was made Governor of the 
island for life. 

After a few years the Spanish King sent two of his of- 
ficials to govern Porto Rico in place of Ponce de Leon. 
Just about this time a Carib woman told the ex-governor 
of a wonderful island which abounded in everything that 
man desired, especially gold and fruits. " This famous 
island, " the Carib woman said, " is situated somewhere 
north of the Bahamas, and is called Bimini. In the center 
of the island is a spring of the purest water, and any aged 
man who bathes in it will become young and handsome 
again. " 

How Florida Was Discovered. — The foregoing story ap- 
pealed very strongly to Ponce de Leon. Accordingly he 
departed from Porto Rico in quest of the wonderful " Foun- 
tain of Youth." In the course of a few months he sailed 
around many of the islands of the Bahama group, but failed 
to find Bimini, or the famous " Fountain of Youth. " 

After leaving the Bahama Islands the expedition sailed 
towards the north, and on Easter Sunday, 1 513, sighted land 



PONCE DE LEON 



57 



near the present city of St. Augustine. On account of the 
great feast day on which the country was discovered, Ponce 
de Leon called the place Pascua Florida (Flowery Easter). 

Wearied and disappointed at not finding the " Foun- 
tain of Youth," and not realizing that he had discovered a 




Ponce de Leon Looking for the Fountain of Youth 

part of the continent of North America, Ponce de Leon and 
his men embarked for Porto Rico, and landed on that is- 
land September 21, 1 513. Here a few of his friends cele- 
brated the explorer's successful voyage, but the world at 
large paid little attention to the discovery of Florida. How- 
ever, had Ponce de Leon been fortunate enough to find 
a large quantity of gold in the newly found land, the dis- 
covery of Florida would have then been regarded as one of 
the most remarkable achievements of that century. 



58 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

The next year Ponce de Leon returned to his native 
land, and was received by King Ferdinand with the great- 
est kindness. A few of the monarch's officers, however, 
made fun of him and his search for the " Fountain of Youth." 
They told him that they expected to see a young, agile man 
with flowing hair and dark beard, but instead they saw an 
old man with a gray beard, a bald head, and exceedingly 
stiff joints. 

On September 27, 1514, King Ferdinand granted Ponce 
de Leon permission to conquer and govern, in the name of 
Spain, Florida and the islands which he had discovered. 
He did more : he ordered three ships well manned and 
well armed to be placed at the disposal of the Spanish 
leader. 

Three months later Ponce de Leon left Spain for the 
purpose of conquering the inhabitants of the Lesser An- 
tilles ; but he found this a hopeless task. 

A Second Voyage to Florida. — In 1521 Ponce de Leon 
started on an expedition to conquer the inhabitants of 
Florida. After a stormy voyage the ships reached their 
destination. As soon as half of the Spanish soldiers had 
landed on the coast, a large number of the Indians at- 
tacked them with the utmost fury. Caught unprepared, 
Ponce de Leon led his soldiers against the wild savages. 
The battle grew fiercer and fiercer until a poisoned arrow 
pierced the thigh of the Spanish leader. Those nearest 
to him, when he fell, carried him on board ship. This was 
the signal for the Spaniards to retreat. 

As soon as they reached Havana, Ponce de Leon was 
taken ashore to receive medical treatment ; but alas ! 
the poisoned arrow had already done its work, and the 
commander of the expedition soon expired. 




59 



60 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

I. When and where was Ponce de Leon born ? 2. What do we know 
of his early life and education ? 3. What was the work of a page at 
the time of Ponce de Leon ? 4. Where did he have an opportunity 
to show his bravery as a soldier ? 5. Why was he "a lion by name and 
a lion by nature" ? 6. With whom did Ponce de Leon sail to the New 
World ? 7. Did the influence of Ovando have an effect on his charac- 
ter ? 8. Give an account of his first official position in the New World. 
9. What led him to conquer Porto Rico ? 10. Narrate the story the 
Carib woman told Ponce de Leon. 11. Did Ponce de Leon find the 
island of Bimini ? 12. Why was his discovery of Florida not fully 
appreciated by the Spaniards? 13. How was he received in Spain on 
his return? 14. What did he plan to do on his second voyage? 
15. Why did the Spaniards retreat? 16. Give an account of his 
death. 17. What qualities that you admire did Ponce de Leon possess ? 
18. What would you criticize in his life ? 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

I. You will find the story of the "Fountain of Youth," which Ponce 
de Leon sought, intensely interesting. Read it and tell it to the 
class. 
II. Before the time of Ponce de Leon, the Moors had taken possession 
of much of the Spanish kingdom. Study the history of these 
people and the geography of their country. 

III. Compare briefly the Haiti, Porto Rico, Florida and the Lesser An- 
tilles of the sixteenth century with these same places at the 
present time. 

IV. Discuss in class: "Did Ponce de Leon do more for America than 
Balboa ?" 

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 

Antilles, an til'ez diabolical, di'd bSl'I kdl 

Aragon, Sr'd gon Pascua Florida, pas'qua no re'da 

Bimini, be me ne' Ponce de Leon, pon'tha da la on 7 
Carib, k&r'ib 



HERNANDO CORTES 

His Early Years. — In a little Spanish town, in the year 
1485, Hernando Cortes, the dauntless conqueror of Mexico, 
was born. Like the other boys of his time, he doubtless 
went to school in his native town, Medellin, but he did not 
care for the confinement and the work of the classroom. 
He preferred to roam through the fields and woodlands in 
search of excitement and adventure. 

One day his parents said to him : " Hernando, we want 
you to be an educated man, and to have a profession." 
He listened attentively to their words ; but he felt that his 
daring and fearless nature drew him to another calling. 

He Goes to the New World. — At the age of fourteen 
he went to the University of Salamanca to study law. 
Here he found everything to interest a boy : genial com- 
panions, exciting sports, and able teachers. Yet, after a 
stay of two years at the University, he returned to his home. 
In the course of time his parents realized that there was 
no use in trying to make a lawyer of him; so in 1504 they 
allowed him to go to the New World. 

At this time Ovando was Governor of San Domingo. 
From him Cortes received a warm reception. The Gov- 
ernor, desiring to test the mettle of Hernando, sent him 
to quell a rebellion among the Indians. The young man 
acquitted himself so well in this work that Governor Ve- 
lasquez asked him to help in subduing the natives of Cuba. 
Always eager to fight, Cortes lent his assistance most 
willingly. 

61 



62 



STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 



Cortes in Trouble. — After performing most brilliant 
feats in conquering the Indians of Cuba, Cortes settled 
down to the quiet life of a farmer. As the years glided 
by, his business prospered more and more, and he grew rich 
and influential. Governor Velasquez saw with a jealous 
eye the growing power of Cortes. He feared such a rival : 




Cortes Rushing Toward the Church 

he wished he would leave the country. Hernando, how- 
ever, had no notion of doing so. 

Subsequently Velasquez had Cortes imprisoned on a 
trivial charge. A few days later he escaped from prison, 
and made a dash for the nearest church, where he was 
free from arrest. Here he remained for many days with- 
out leaving the building. 

One evening, as he stepped outside the door of the church, 
he was seized by a soldier, carried on board a ship, and 
placed in the lower part of the vessel for safe-keeping. 



HERNANDO CORTES 63 

Imagine how this brave man must have felt in such a sad 
plight. Surrounded by extra guards, he began to feel that 
there was little or no chance for escape. 

For many days he was confined in this dungeon. One 
night, however, he managed to get to the deck of the ship. 
Here he changed clothes with a cabin boy. Thus dis- 
guised, he jumped into one of the life boats and rowed 
toward the shore. Unfortunately a strong current pre- 
vented him from making much progress with the oars. 
In this predicament he took off his clothes, tied them up 
with a piece of string, and with the bundle on his back 
jumped into the water and swam to the shore. 

He Leads an Expedition to Mexico. — After the second 
escape, Velasquez did not try to arrest him, and, in the 
course of time, they became friends. Later on the Gov- 
ernor showed his esteem for Cortes by placing him in com- 
mand of an expedition for the conquest of Mexico. 

When the ships and the men were in readiness, Cortes, 
after attending Mass, embarked for Cuba on February 19, 
1519. Having explored the island of Cozumel, the ex- 
pedition sailed around the coast of Yucatan to the present 
site of Vera Cruz. 

Messengers Arrive. — Before the Spaniards had landed 
on the soil of Mexico, messengers from the King of that 
place arrived. Cortes received them very kindly and in- 
quired about their master, Montezuma. One of the mes- 
sengers then said to the leader of the Spaniards : 

" We are come in the name of the great Montezuma to 
ask why you bring your white men to our shore." 

" I have come," said Cortes, " from the greatest King 
in the world with a present for your master, and I must 
deliver the gift into his hands." 




64 



HERNANDO CORTES 65 

" You cannot see Montezuma," said the messenger. 
" We will carry your present to him/' 

" That will not do/' said Cortes, " I must give it to him 
personally." 

After presents had been exchanged as a sign of friend- 
ship, the messengers returned to Montezuma, and told 
him what had taken place. 

I do not wish to see Cortes," said the King. 
Sire, he is determined to see you," said the messenger. 
Go to him," said the King, " and tell him that I forbid 
him to enter the city of Mexico." 

Vera Cruz is Founded. — After the Spaniards had landed 
at or near the present city of Vera Cruz, other messengers 
from Montezuma arrived with the most costly presents for 
Cortes. They said to the Spanish commander : 

" Montezuma is willing that the Spaniards should rest 
for a time in his country, and that they should take a quan- 
tity of the precious metals found in his kingdom, but he 
forbids them to visit the city of Mexico." 

" Tell your King," said Cortes, " that I will call on him 
in the near future." 

As the Indian messengers left the camp, the Spaniards 
went on their way. After conquering the Tlaxcalans, 
Cortes made friends of them. On and on the Spaniards 
traveled, leveling every obstacle that appeared in their 
pathway. As they approached the city of Mexico, Mon- 
tezuma sent his nephew to escort the Spanish commander 
to his palace. Everything was done by the Mexicans or 
Aztecs to welcome the white men. Cortes, to show his 
friendship for Montezuma, placed on the neck of the King 
a collar of glass beads. Montezuma presented Cortes 
with two collars made of gold. 



66 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

Montezuma is Seized. — Some time after his entry into 
the city of Mexico, Cortes heard that a number of Span- 
iards had been cruelly slaughtered by the Aztecs. There- 
upon, he sent for Montezuma, and seized him as a guar- 
antee that the natives should not kill any more of his men. 

The Aztecs, meanwhile, were growing tired of the pres- 
ence of the Spaniards in the city. Montezuma heard that 
if the white men did not leave Mexico, the natives were 
determined to put them all to death. He advised Cortes 
to leave the country. The Spanish leader told him that it 
was impossible for him to do so ; for when he left Vera Cruz 
he had burned all his ships. Montezuma assured him that 
he would help him to build a number of ships. Cortes, 
accordingly, promised that he should leave the country as 
soon as the ships were built. 

While the Spaniards and the Indians were building a 
number of ships to carry the white men from Mexico, re- 
inforcements in command of Narvaez arrived from Cuba. 
They were sent by Velasquez, not to aid Cortes, but to try 
to defeat his project. When the Spanish commander real- 
ized this, he made up his mind to conquer them or die in 
the attempt. 

One dark night Cortes and a number of his trusted men 
stole into the cottage where Narvaez dwelt, seized him, and 
carried him to Vera Cruz where he was imprisoned. This 
was the signal for all the Spaniards in Mexico to enlist 
under the standard of Cortes. 

The Aztecs Rebel. — As soon as the Mexicans learned 
that the white men were fighting among themselves, they 
determined to drive the Europeans from their country. 
Thousands of them attacked the Spaniards in the city of 
Mexico. On hearing this, Cortes returned to the city lest 




The Capture of Montezuma 



67 



68 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

his fellow countrymen should be defeated and Montezuma 
should escape. His presence buoyed the spirits of the 
Spaniards to continue the struggle. After some time 
Cortes began to realize that if the fighting were to con- 
tinue much longer, he would have no army. So he asked 
Montezuma to urge the Aztecs to return to their homes. 
The King, however, did not wish to make such a plea. He 
felt that his people would not like it. 

In order to satisfy Cortes, Montezuma ascended the 
tower, called for silence, and spoke to the people. He told 
them that he was not a prisoner, but the guest of the Span- 
iards ; and he advised them to give up fighting and return 
to their homes. 

When the King had finished his appeal, the natives 
called him a coward and threw stones at him. One of 
them hit him on the temple, and brought about his death 
in a few days. This calamity caused a slight lull in the 
fighting; but, just as soon as the body of Montezuma was 
consigned to the grave, the Aztecs went on the warpath ; 
and, no matter how often the Spaniards drove them back, 
they always returned to the charge. 

Cortes in a Predicament. — The Spaniards were re- 
duced to a small number, and their supply of ammunition 
was giving out. Something had to be done. Cortes de- 
cided to steal out of the city during the darkness of night. 
This, however, was no easy matter; for the Aztecs were 
on guard lest their enemies should escape. 

The night for the departure of the Spaniards arrived. 
With silent tread they marched quickly toward the con- 
fines of the city ; but, just as they were about to escape, the 
Mexicans pounced upon them and killed many of them. 

Sad and dejected, Cortes and his diminished army went 



HERNANDO CORTES 69 

to the country of the Tlaxcalans. Here they were kindly re- 
ceived by the natives. After resting for a few weeks, some 
of the soldiers wished to return to Cuba. Cortes, how- 
ever, would not think of doing so. On the contrary, he 
appealed to the men to help him retake the city of Mexico. 
His burning words had the desired effect, for every Span- 
iard agreed to follow his lead. 

He Again Takes the City of Mexico. — When everything 
was in readiness, Cortes launched a number of small ships, 
fitted out with cannon, on Lake Tezcoco, and attacked the 
city of Mexico from three different places. The Mexicans 
fought valiantly. After the siege had lasted about three 
months, the King of the Aztecs, in an effort to escape, was 
captured by the Spaniards, and the city of Mexico was 
retaken. 

Cortes, it must be remembered, had no authority from 
the Spanish King. Neither had he been appointed leader 
of the expedition, nor Governor of Mexico. He, there- 
fore, returned to Spain and dazzled the King and his nobles 
with a glowing account of his conquest and by the large 
amount of gold which he brought back. Without much 
ado, King Charles made him Captain-General of the army 
and Governor of Mexico, or New Spain, as it was then 
called. 

Cortes Returns to Mexico. — The newly appointed Gov- 
ernor hastily returned to Mexico, searched diligently for 
gold, explored other parts of the country, and put to death 
without mercy those who did not willingly acknowledge his 
authority. After some time complaints were sent to the 
Spanish Court about his harsh and unscrupulous conduct. 
When the Governor heard about these charges, he went at 
once to Spain and made it appear that he was falsely accused. 



70 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

The Spanish government allowed him to remain Governor 
of Mexico, but they sent a commission to govern the coun- 
try. For one reason or another, the commissioners did not 
give satisfaction. Accordingly a viceroy was sent from 
Spain. In the meantime Cortes busied himself exploring 
other parts of the country; and on one of these expedi- 
tions, he is said to have discovered Lower California. 

About the year 1540, Cortes had a serious dispute with 
the viceroy. To settle the matter he went to Spain ; but, 
much to his regret, the King would not see him, and the 
Council of the Indies refused to decide the dispute in his 
favor. Notwithstanding this, Cortes tried in vain to gain 
the good graces of his royal master. His final attempt is 
worth recording. One day he pushed his way through the 
crowd and spoke to the King. The latter asked who he 
was. Cortes proudly answered : "I am the man who has 
given you more provinces than your ancestors left you 
cities. " These imprudent words helped to bring him to a 
sad and penniless ending. 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

1. Give an imaginary conversation between the boy Hernando and 
his mother. 2. Locate San Domingo, Salamanca, and Cuba. 3. How 
did the Governor of San Domingo test the mettle of Cortes ? 4. What 
excited the jealousy of Governor Velasquez ? 5. Tell about the es- 
capes of Cortes. 6. How did Velasquez show friendship to Cortes ? 
7. Tell what you know about Montezuma. 8. Locate Vera Cruz, and 
give the meaning of its name. 9. What was the signification of 
exchanging gifts ? 10. Why did Montezuma forbid the Spaniards to 
enter the city of Mexico? 11. On what pretense was Montezuma 
seized by Cortes? 12. What excuse did Cortes make for not leaving 
the city? 13. How did he plan to do so? 14. How was the city of 
Mexico retaken ? 15. When was Cortes made Governor of New Spain ? 
16. Describe the feelings of Cortes as he approached Seville to embark 
for Mexico. 



HERNANDO CORTES 71 



CORRELATED STUDIES 



I. During the past ten or fifteen years much has been written concern- 
ing the republic of Mexico. Study this country with a view of 
ascertaining what articles we send to Mexico and what supplies 
we receive from that country. 
II. Bring to the classroom interesting stories and pictures of Mexico 
and explain how they help you to know better the people of that 
country. 
III. Discuss in class: "Has the Republican form of government been 
a success in Mexico ?" 

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 

Aztec, &z'tek Narvaez, nar va/ath 

Cozumel, ko'soo mgl' Tezcoco, tas ko'ko 
Hernando Cortes, her nan'do Tlaxcala, tlas ka'la 

kor'tez Velasquez, va las'kath 

intrepid, In trep'id Vera Cruz, va/ra kroos', vSr'd 
Medellin, ma/triel yen' krooz' 

Montezuma, mon'te zoo'md Yucatan, yoo ka tan' 



FERDINAND MAGELLAN 

His Birth. — In the last quarter of the fifteenth century, 
there was born in a mountainous section of northern Portu- 
gal a child who, forty-two years later, was to perform the 
remarkable feat of sailing around the world. 

Shortly after his birth, this boy was carried to the nearest 
church and christened Ferdinand. Like so many of the 
great men of his time, little is known of his boyhood. In 
his mountain home he doubtless became acquainted with 
the wild flowers, shrubs, trees, and animals that were to 
be found in the locality. He loved to ride his father's 
horses, and to hunt the wild animals that frequented the 
mountain. 

Ferdinand's father was a nobleman, a petty prince in 
his part of the country. The life of the boy, nevertheless, 
was rather lonely and uninteresting, except during vaca- 
tion, when the Magellan family lived at Oporto. During 
this time the boy became acquainted with a number of 
seamen, who told him many tales of adventure. 

During the fifteenth century, the Portuguese were con- 
sidered among the best, if not really the best, sailors of 
Europe. We can imagine how Ferdinand's heart must 
have expanded with pride when he learned of the daring 
trips of his fellow countryman, Prince Henry of Portugal ; 
and how he must have longed for the time when he, too, 
could perform some remarkable voyage of discovery. 

His Life as a Page. — At the age of fifteen, Ferdinand 
took up his residence at the court of the King of Portugal. 

72 



FERDINAND MAGELLAN 73 

Besides performing the duties of a page, he was receiving 
an education. 

It was about this time that the great Vasco da Gama 
had reached India by sailing round the Cape of Good Hope. 
In order to get a firm footing in this country before their 
rivals, the Spaniards, would * reach the place, the King 
of Portugal gave orders that a large fleet should go at once 
to India. Among those who offered their services for this 
voyage we find Ferdinand Magellan ; and, during the 
seven or eight years that he spent in India and the countries 
thereabout, he showed himself, on more than one occasion, 
a brave and fearless soldier. 

In 1 513 Magellan returned to Portugal just in time to 
volunteer his services in an expedition against the Moors 
of Morocco. Here again he displayed his wonderful 
valor and bravery in defeating the rebellious natives, but 
unfortunately he received a wound which lamed him for life. 

A Great Disappointment. — Tiring of northern Africa, 
Magellan returned to Portugal without permission, and 
laid before the King his plan for a westward route to India. 
The Portuguese monarch, for one reason or another, had 
grown tired of Magellan, and took no interest in his scheme. 
In this predicament the brave navigator asked the King's 
permission to seek the aid of some other country — a 
request which the monarch willingly granted. 

Disappointed by the attitude of the King of Portugal, 
and goaded on by the ambition to rival some of the great 
navigators of his time, Magellan bade adieu to his native 
land and went to Spain. Here, through the kindness of 
Bishop Fonseca, he had an audience with King Charles. 
When the latter heard the plan of the Portuguese navigator 
he was very much pleased, because it would be a means of 



74 



STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 



extending the Spanish possessions in Asia, and would give 
the Spaniards as well as the Portuguese access to the riches 
of the East. 

Magellan's Determination. — When the King of Portugal 
heard that Magellan had succeeded in interesting King 
Charles of Spain in his plan, he was very angry ; and he tried 
in every way to persuade Magellan from attempting the 
voyage. 

In the month of August, in the year 15 19, Magellan, 
accompanied by 270 sailors, went to the Church of St. 




Magellan Sets Sail for the New World 

Mary of Victory, Seville, and solemnly promised to do his 
utmost to promote the interests of the Spanish King. 

Presently his fleet of five Spanish ships (Trinidad, Vic- 
toria, Conception, Santiago, and San Antonio) started on the 
voyage of discovery. Within six days the vessels reached 
the island of Teneriffe. Here they remained for a few days, 



FERDINAND MAGELLAN 75 

getting a supply of wood, water, and fresh fish. It was dur- 
ing this delay that Magellan received a letter from his 
wife's father, saying : " Beware, my son, beware ! Keep 
a good watch, for it has come to my knowledge that some 
of your captains, in case of any trouble, will kill you." 
Though this news did not dismay the Captain-General 
in the least, it had the effect of making him careful and 
watchful. 

What They Saw. — Two months were spent in crossing 
the Atlantic Ocean. During that time fear crept into the 
hearts of many of the sailors as they saw near by man- 
eating sharks with terrible teeth, and other monsters of 
the deep. On the other hand, the presence of flocks of 
never-resting birds, shoals of flying fish, and electrical 
storms caused intense wonder among the sailors. 

After a long and perilous voyage, Magellan sighted land 
off* Cape St. Augustine, not far from Pernambuco. He 
did not go ashore, but skirted along the coast until he came 
to the harbor of Rio de Janeiro. Among Magellan's men 
was a Portuguese, John Carvalho, who had lived with the 
Indians of that country for four years. Through his inter- 
cession the fleet was well supplied with fresh provisions. 
John told the Indians that their visitors would not harm 
them. Thus assured, the natives gave some provisions to 
the white men. " For a fishhook or a knife they gave five 
or six chickens ; for a comb, a brace of geese ; for a bell 
a basketful of potatoes ; for a small mirror or a pair of scis- 
sors, as many fish as would sustain ten men several days." 

These half-civilized Indians of Brazil were without cloth- 
ing ; they looked like wild animals. They lived in long, 
low houses, slept in hammocks, and ate with a relish human 
flesh, especially that of their enemies. 



76 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

In Winter Quarters. — Magellan's next stopping place 
was the mouth of the La Plata River. After exploring 
this river and not finding a way to the Pacific Ocean, he 
and his men sailed to the south until they reached Patagonia, 
where they anchored in the harbor of St. Julian on the last 
day of March, 1520. Some time later the harbor froze. 
This meant a long delay. Magellan, accordingly, ordered 
the rations of each sailor reduced, — a regulation which 
caused great discontent. 

" Let us go back to Spain, let us go back to Spain, " was 
heard on every side. 

The Captain-General pretended, however, not to hear it. 

Magellan's Appeal. — In answer to the entreaties of 
some of the sailors, Magellan said : " Never will I return, 
never, until I have .accomplished the object of this voyage. 
It was undertaken at the orders of the King of Spain, who 
hath chosen me, above all others, to command ; and he 
shall not be disappointed ! No, my men, we will not go 
back. Here will we stay till the coming of spring. We 
have already penetrated farther south than any other navi- 
gator; and, having gained so much, shall we lose it all for 
lack of courage ? " 

The inspiring words of the Captain-General silenced the 
sailors for a time ; but when three Spanish captains called 
upon their men to mutiny, there was an instant response. 
Things now looked bad for Magellan. There were three 
vessels against his two; but he did not fear. With the 
skill of a general, he speedily put an end to the mutiny. 

A Tour of Inspection. — When order had been restored, 
Magellan sent the Santiago on a tour of inspection. When 
this ship had traveled about sixty miles to the south and 
had reached the mouth of the Santa Cruz River, a terrible 




The Patagonian Giant and the Spanish Sailor 



77 



78 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

gale arose and wrecked the vessel. The sailors fortunately 
made their escape and built a raft on which they crossed 
the Santa Cruz River. Two of their number made their 
way to the rest of the fleet, with the result that a relief 
party was sent out by Magellan just in time to save the 
others from starvation and exposure. 

While in the port of St. Julian, Magellan had a novel 
experience. As he had never seen an inhabitant of Pata- 
gonia, he was very much surprised one day when he beheld 
a gigantic warrior with a heavy bow in one hand and a bunch 
of feathered arrows in the other. As the giant, clad in 
skins, came near the vessel, Magellan sent one of his sailors 
to meet him. After performing some funny antics, the 
massive giant and the sailor embraced. Both entered Magel- 
lan's ship, and everyone on board tried to pay special atten- 
tion to their Patagonian visitor. 

According to an eyewitness, the giant's face was very 
large, and painted red, with the exception of yellow circles 
around his eyes and two heart-shaped daubs of the same 
color on his cheeks. 

The Strait of Magellan. — After a delay of four months 
in the harbor of St. Julian, Magellan with his four ships 
sailed for the mouth of the Santa Cruz, where he remained 
two months. About October 18, 1520, the expedition 
started southward. Three days later the ships reached 
the entrance of the passage to the Pacific Ocean. When 
the strait appeared in view, Magellan consulted the cap- 
tains of the four ships as to whether they should continue 
their journey to the Spice Islands, or return to Spain. All 
but one favored continuing; so the long and tiresome 
journey, through what is now called the Strait of Magellan, 
took place without much excitement, save that the San 
Antonio made her escape and returned to Spain. 



FERDINAND MAGELLAN 79 

When they had entered the Pacific Ocean, scurvy broke 
out among the men as the party voyaged toward the north ; 
to make matters worse, their supplies became scarce, and 
the sailors had not enough to eat or drink. As they neared 
the equator, moreover, the terrible heat made their lot 
more miserable. 

An Island of Robbers. — During the first half of March, 
1 521, the weak and starving sailors were cheered by the 
appearance of a beautiful island in the distance. Here 
the natives supplied them with bananas, coconuts, and 
refreshing drinks. For this kindness Magellan allowed the 
brown men to roam about the ships ; but, when one of his 
officers told him that they had stolen a small boat and 
were taking everything they could lay their hands on, he 
gave orders to clear the ship and sent a party in search of 
the missing boat. Magellan named the place " Ladrone, or 
Robber Island." It is now called Guam. 

Greatly refreshed and improved in health, Magellan and 
his sailors continued their journey toward the Philippine 
Islands. The next stop was made at one of the outlying 
islands of the group. Here the Captain-General pitched 
his tents and set up a temporary hospital for the sick sailors. 
In a short time all the invalids were well enough to pro- 
ceed on the voyage. 

A Cross and a Crown. — On and on the little fleet traveled, 
till it came to the island of Mazana. Here Magellan 
found a native, a Malayan, who could understand the 
language of one of the sailors. This helped very much 
in gaining the good will and friendship of the islanders. 
After gifts were exchanged and friendly visits made, the 
King of that place allowed Magellan and fifty of his 
men to land. On this occasion the Captain-General 



80 



STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 



erected a cross, surmounted by a gilded crown, on a hill 
not far from the shore. These two emblems typified the 
religion of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of Spain, in whose 
interests Magellan was employed. 

The place next explored by Magellan was Cebu. Here, we 
are told, the King and eight hundred of his followers be- 
came Christians after being instructed by the Captain- 
General and the priests in his party. Magellan told the 




The Death of Magellan 



natives that they should not become Christians through 
fear, or to please the Spaniards, but of their own free will. 
All cried out with one voice that they were not becoming 
Christians through fear, or to please the Spaniards, but 
of their own free will. 

The Death of Magellan. — Some weeks later a petty King 
asked Magellan to help him subdue the ruler of the island 
of Mactan. The Captain-General, ever ready for a skir- 



FERDINAND MAGELLAN 81 

mish, set out on April 25, 1521, and shortly afterward landed 
on the island with about fifty men. This was the signal 
for thousands of the Mactanese to attack the Spaniards. 
As the savages increased in number and drew closer to the 
little band of Europeans, Magellan, having been wounded 
by a poisoned arrow, ordered his men to retreat slowly. 
This unusual command terrified the Spaniards. Conse- 
quently, most of them ran as fast as they could to the 
vessels, while Magellan and a few faithful soldiers stood 
their ground. In a short time the Captain-General, 
seriously wounded, was surrounded by the Mactanese and 
put to death without mercy. Thus died one of the bravest 
men that ever donned a uniform and one of the greatest 
navigators of all times. 

The next day the King of Cebu invited the officers and 
soldiers of the Spanish ships to a banquet. About sixty 
accepted the invitation. Of these only two escaped the trap 
which the King had set for them; the others were put to 
death. 

After the Trinidad, the Victoria, and the Concepcion 
had retaliated by bombarding the island of Cebu, it was 
found that there were not sufficient sailors to man the 
three ships. A council of war was called and it was decided 
to blow up the Concepcion. The two remaining vessels 
then started for the Spice Islands ; and had they not se- 
cured the assistance of a captain-pirate they might never 
have reached their destination. 

The Moluccas or Spice Islands. — On the morning of 
November 6, 1521, four lofty islands appeared in view. 
" These," said the pirate-pilot, "are the Moluccas, for 
which you have been searching for almost twenty-six 
months." The King of these islands welcomed the Span- 



82 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

iards and tried to win their good will. Meanwhile the 
two Spanish ships were being loaded with spices. When 
everything was ready for the homeward voyage, the cap- 
tain of the Trinidad reported that his ship had sprung a 
leak and was unfit to sail. 

As soon as repairs were made the Trinidad started on 
her homeward journey, but was captured by the Portu- 
guese. In the meantime the Victoria hoisted anchor 
and steered for Spain. After three months the sailors 
sighted the Cape of Good Hope, and on September 8, 1522, 
they reached Seville. 

It would be difficult to exaggerate the wonderful reception 
which the eighteen survivors received from the King and 
the people of Spain. The hardy seamen, true to their 
Catholic faith, went the first day to the Church of Our 
Lady of Victory, and offered up a fervent prayer of thanks- 
giving for their safe return. 

Though Sebastian Del Cano was the captain who brought 
the Victoria back to Seville, he was generous-hearted enough 
to give to Ferdinand Magellan the honor of being the first 
to circumnavigate the globe. 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

1. Where and when was Ferdinand Magellan born? 2. Tell what 
you know of his early years. 3. What duties did Ferdinand perform 
while he served as a page to the King of Portugal ? 4. In what way was 
Magellan associated with Vasco da Gama ? 5. As a soldier, what did 
Ferdinand do? 6. Why did Magellan go to Spain? 7. Why did 
King Charles of Spain willingly aid Magellan ? 8. How did the King 
of Portugal show his jealousy? 9. In what way did Magellan learn 
that he was surrounded by enemies ? 10. During the voyage across 
the Atlantic, what frightened the sailors? 11. Relate how Magellan 
gained the good will of the inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro. 12. Give an 
account of the inhabitants of Brazil. 13. What did Magellan say to 



FERDINAND MAGELLAN 



83 



the sailors who wanted to return to Spain? 14. How did Magellan 
crush the mutiny? 15. Describe Magellan's experience with the giant 
Patagonian. 16. When did he discover the Strait of Magellan ? 
17. Describe his experience in the Pacific Ocean. 18. Why did Magel- 
lan call Guam "Ladrone, or Robber Island"? 19. In what way did 
Magellan show his Catholicity when he arrived at the Philippine Islands ? 
20. What did he do at Cebu ? 21. Give an account of the death of 
Magellan. 22. How did the King of Cebu exhibit his treachery ? 
23. Why was the Concepcion blown up? 24. What happened to the 
Trinidad? 25. When did the Victoria reach Spain? 26. How did 
Del Cano manifest his generosity ? 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

I. The story of Magellan will mean more to you if you outline the 
course followed by that great navigator, and name the important 
places where he landed. 
II. Collect a few interesting facts about Argentina, the Philippine 
Islands, the Spice Islands, the Strait of Magellan, and the Cape of 
Good Hope. 

III. Long ago the people believed that the world was flat. Explain 

how Magellan's voyage helped to prove that the world is round. 

IV. Discuss in class: "Did Magellan's sailing around the world do 

more for the science of geography than for history ?" 

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 



Carvalho, kar val'yoo 
Cebu, sa boo' 

Concepcion, kon sSp syon' 
Da Gama, da ga'ma 
Del Cano, del ka'no 
Fonseca, fon sa/ka 
Guam, gwam 
Ladrone, Id dron' 
Mactan, mak tan' 



Magellan, ma jel'£n 
Mazana, ma za/na 
Moluccas, mo luk'dz 
Oporto, 6 por'too 
Patagonia, p&t'd go'ni a 
Pernambuco, per'nam boo'ko 
Rio de Janeiro, re'6 da zhd na'ro 
Santiago, san'te a/go 
Teneriffe, ten'er if 



FERDINAND DE SOTO 

His Youth. — At the beginning of the sixteenth century, 
Ferdinand de Soto was born in the sunny land of Spain. 
Though his parents belonged to the nobility, they were 
by no means wealthy. Consequently, his early years were 
not spent in ease and luxury. 

It is probable that Ferdinand thought more of the bread- 
and-butter side of education than he did of the cultural. 
He was a tall, handsome boy, well built, and endowed with 
remarkable strength and ability. He had few equals in 
fencing, horse-riding, running, jumping, and all those manly 
exercises considered necessary for the training of a Spanish 
gentleman. 

About the age of thirteen he attracted the attention of a 
nobleman blessed with considerable wealth. This gentle- 
man, Don Pedro by name, took Ferdinand into his home, 
and shortly afterward sent him to college for six years. 
During that time the young student developed into a 
sturdy specimen of manhood. 

Don Pedro Becomes Governor of Darien. — In the year 
1 5 14, Don Pedro was appointed Governor of Darien. 
Accordingly he set out for the New World, and soon after 
entered upon the duties of his office. Five years later the 
Governor returned to Spain to find his second daughter, 
Isabella, deeply in love with Ferdinand. This informa- 
tion grieved and worried Don Pedro very much. The 
thought of his beautiful daughter marrying one of his de- 
pendents was too much for him. 

84 




De Soto and Isabella 



8S 



86 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

" It must not be," he said. " It must not be." 

With a view of breaking up the affection which existed 
between de Soto and his daughter, Don Pedro decided to 
take the young Spaniard, then nineteen years of age, to 
Darien. Before the ships sailed for the New World, de Soto 
and Isabella met secretly and promised to be true to each 
other. 

After reaching America, Captain de Soto was sent on the 
most difficult and dangerous missions. It really seemed as 
if the Governor desired the death of his ward ; but the brave 
and gallant young Spaniard was equal to every emergency. 

Some years later, when an account of Don Pedro's cruel 
treatment of the American Indians had reached the Spanish 
Court, a new Governor was at once sent to Darien. There- 
upon, Don Pedro and some of his followers went to Nica- 
ragua and assumed control of that country. 

De Soto and Pizarro. — In 1532 de Soto joined an expedi- 
tion under Francis Pizarro, which set out from Darien for 
the conquest of Peru. Here again he showed his valor 
and ability as a soldier. He was always ready and willing 
to undertake the most dangerous enterprise. Shortly 
after discovering the great national road which led to the 
capital of Peru, he was sent by Pizarro to visit the Inca or 
King who lived there. On this delicate errand he was 
most successful in gaining the good will of the Inca, — an 
advantage which helped very much in the conquest of Peru. 

When the Spaniards had gained possession of the capital, 
the Inca was thrown into prison. De Soto tried in every 
way to bring about his release. Finally Pizarro agreed that 
if the Inca gave him a roomful of gold he would be set at 
liberty. A few months later the Inca fulfilled his part of 
the agreement, but Pizarro was not willing to set him free. 




De Soto at the Inca's Palace 



87 



88 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

While de Soto was away on an exploring tour, the Inca 
was taken out on the public square and executed by order 
of Pizarro. When de Soto returned and found out what 
had happened to his Indian friend, his anger knew no 
bounds. He went straight to Pizarro and upbraided him 
for his unjust and inhuman conduct. 

As soon as de Soto had received his share of the spoils, 
he returned in haste to Spain, where the fame of his exploits 
had preceded him. Everywhere he received a great welcome, 
and the nobility vied with each other in doing him honor. 

Fifteen years previous he had left his native land with 
scarcely a cent in his pocket, while his patron, Don Pedro, 
possessed riches in abundance. Now the tables were turned : 
Don Pedro was almost^ in poverty, while Ferdinand de Soto 
had a vast amount of wealth. 

De Soto Marries Isabella. — On returning to Spain, one 
of the first things de Soto did was to marry the brave 
young woman who had remained true to him for fifteen 
years. Shortly after this the Spanish Emperor appointed 
him Governor of Cuba and President or Lieutenant-Gov- 
ernor of Florida. 

At this time one of the Spaniards who had accompanied 
Narvaez to Florida returned to Spain. He gave a most 
glowing account of the riches of the country which he had 
explored. He told the people that there was as much gold 
in Florida as they had found in Peru. This information 
helped to hasten the departure of de Soto and a number 
of wealthy and adventurous Spaniards for the New World. 

On reaching Havana, de Soto left there his wife Isabella, 
her maids, and a number of soldiers to act as a body-guard, 
while he and the rest of his 600 followers set sail for the 
coast of Florida. On the 25th of May, 1539, they saw land 



FERDINAND DE SOTO 89 

in the distance, and five days later they went ashore at 
Tampa Bay. 

It would be unjust to de Soto to give our readers the 
impression that he was prompted solely in this exploring 
trip by a desire for gold ; for the historian Parkman tells 
us that in coming to Florida " the enterprise was under- 
taken for God alone/' Furthermore, twelve priests ac- 
companied de Soto's expedition. It is safe to say, then, 
that the newly appointed Governor had in mind the Chris- 
tianizing of the Indians of Florida as well as a desire for 
gold. 

The Work of Exploration. — As de Soto and his men 
traveled northward toward Tallahassee, the natives tried 
to impede their progress in every imaginable way. In 
some places the country through which they had to pass 
was swampy, and in other places it was covered with bushes. 
The natives, more ferocious and warlike than those of the 
Antilles, attacked them from every favorable ambush. 

Notwithstanding the unfriendly attitude of the Indians, 
de Soto tried in every way to win their friendship. He sent 
word to them on many occasions that his mission was a 
peaceful one, and that he did not wish to harm them ; but 
his words were in vain. The Indians would not forget their 
previous experience with the Spaniards. 

After a long and painful journey through Florida, Georgia, 
South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi, without finding 
even a nugget of gold, de Soto and his followers crossed the 
Mississippi not far from the spot where that great river is 
joined by the Arkansas. 

De Soto and his men then set out to explore the present 
State of Arkansas ; and again they failed to find any gold or 
a passage to the South Sea (Pacific Ocean). Accordingly 



90 



STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 



they returned to the banks of the Mississippi, tired and 
disheartened. 

De Soto's Death. — Discouraged by the results of his 
explorations, de Soto's spirit began to fail. He contracted 
a slow fever, which brought on paralysis of the arm. The 
fever grew worse. Days of melancholy ensued. The hand 
of Death was upon him. 

Calmly and with the piety of a loyal and devoted Catholic, 
he settled his worldly affairs. As his successor he appointed 
Moscoso, to whom each officer took an oath of allegiance. 




The Burial of De Soto 



On the threshold of eternity, he bade adieu to his brave 
followers, urged them to do all in their power to make 
Christians of the Indians of Florida, and entreated them 
to live as brothers, loving and helping one another. Hav- 



FERDINAND DE SOTO 91 

ing made his peace with God and men, Ferdinand de Soto, 
in the forty-second year of his age, resigned his great soul 
into the hands of his Creator. 

The Spaniards feared that the Indians would dishonor 
the body of their leader if it were buried on land ; so they 
cut down a giant oak, and scooped out a space large enough 
for the remains of de Soto. In this rude coffin the body 
was taken to the center of the Mississippi and slowly and 
sadly lowered into its strange resting place. 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

I. Tell what you know about the birthplace of de Soto. 2. What 
do you consider the most striking fact connected with his early years ? 
3. Show that he was a manly boy. 4. In what way did he succeed 
in getting a college education ? 5. What happened when Don Pedro 
went to the New World as Governor of Darien ? 6. How did Don Pedro 
try to break up the affection which existed between his daughter and de 
Soto ? 7. In what way did de Soto help Pizarro in the conquest of 
Peru ? 8. What do you think of the character of de Soto ? 9. What 
caused him to prosper and Don Pedro to become a pauper ? 10. What 
prompted de Soto to go to Florida? 11. Why was the exploration of 
Florida difficult? 12. Did de Soto find much gold in his travels? 
13. Describe his last hours. 14. Why was his funeral so impressive? 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

I. Draw an outline map of the Southern and the Central States, and 
trace thereon the course followed by de Soto in his tour of explora- 
tion. Tell the class the benefit you derived from doing this 
work. 
II. During his long exploring tour, de Soto was constantly harassed 
by the Indians. Account for this unfriendly attitude. 

III. Prepare for the class what you consider the most interesting features 

of the Mississippi River, and tell of the important trade centers 
thereon. 

IV. Discuss in class : "Was de Soto a greater hero than Magellan ?" 



92 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 

Amalgro, a mal'gro Georgia, jor'ji a, jor'jd 

Arkansas, ar'kdn so Inca, Irj'ka, 

De Soto, de so'to ; da Moscoso, mos ko'so 

Don Pedro, don pe'dro, pa/dro Tallahassee, Tal'd has'e 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO 

His Youth. — If you were to see a little boy tending swine 
in the countryside when he ought to be at school ; if you 
knew he was scantily clad, poorly fed, and exposed to all 
kinds of weather seven days in the week, you would naturally 




The Boy Pizarro Hears About the New World 

like to find out all you could about him, and you would do 
your best to help him better his condition. 

This was exactly the life which Francis Pizarro, the con- 
queror of Peru, led on a quiet farm in Truxillo, Spain, 
toward the close of the fifteenth century. The boy's 
father was a soldier who cared little for home life, and his 
mother was a woman with scarcely any ambition. 

93 



94 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

One day as Francis was tending the swine, a stranger, 
attracted by the lowly appearance of the boy, stopped to 
speak to him. He told Francis of the wonderful New 
World, and of the great quantities of gold and precious 
stones which had been found there. 

When the stranger went on his journey, Francis began to 
think how much better it would be to go to this New World 
and gain fame and riches than to eke out a miserable liv- 
ing on his father's farm. 

How He Escaped. — When Pizarro was fifteen years of 
age, he decided that the time had come for him to leave the 
farm for the more agreeable work of a soldier of fortune. 
In the darkness of night Francis, with a little bundle thrown 
over his shoulders, stole quietly out of his native town and 
started for Seville. It was a long and tiresome journey, and 
few boys of his age would ever think of walking that distance. 
At last the brave boy reached his destination. 

A few days later Francis spoke to an officer and told 
him that he wished to become a soldier. The officer lis- 
tened attentively to what he had to say, took him to the cap- 
tain of his company, and recommended him as a desirable 
subject for the army. 

Soon after Pizarro went to Italy and distinguished him- 
self by his great skill and dauntless bravery in the war 
against the French. On returning to Spain he was made 
a lieutenant ; and eventually other honors were conferred 
upon him. 

Pizarro Goes to America. — A few years later, when an 
expedition was fitted out for the New World and there was 
a call for brave and daring soldiers with military experi- 
ence, Francis Pizarro was one of the first to volunteer his 
services. His first battle with the natives of America 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO 95 

was on the Isthmus of Panama under Governor Ojeda. 
Later on he accompanied Balboa on the ever-memorable 
journey that led to the discovery of the Pacific. 

In one of these expeditions Pizarro heard of a land to 
the south far richer than any other country which the 
Spaniards had discovered. This information fired the ambi- 
tion of the former swine-herd to equal in exploration Cortes 
or de Soto, but he lacked the means to carry out his plans. 

Friends in Need. — Hearing of Pizarro's proposed proj- 
ect, and wishing to lend it their assistance, Almagro, a 
soldier, and Luque, a priest, contributed all the money 
they had to fit out an expedition. On November 14, 1524, 
Pizarro with 112 men sailed from Panama in a small ship. 
A short time after Almagro followed in another vessel. 
The two leaders met on an island (opposite the Pearl Is- 
lands) where Pizarro was resting. As soon as their con- 
ference was over, Almagro returned to Panama to get more 
men and supplies, but he succeeded in securing only eighty 
soldiers. With these he joined Pizarro, and, after many 
misfortunes, they arrived on the coast of Colombia and 
landed at Tacamez. 

The people of the place were clad in garments made of 
wool or cotton, and were ornamented with trinkets of gold 
and silver. The Spanish forces were so few that Pizarro 
did not think it wise to attack the inhabitants, who appeared 
so intelligent and so powerful. Thus he retired to the is- 
land of Gallo. 

In the meantime a new Governor had been appointed 
in Panama. When Almagro returned for more men and 
supplies, the Governor would allow neither him nor any 
of his men to return, but sent a ship to bring Pizarro and 
his soldiers home. Thus forsaken, the commander went 



96 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

to the island of Gorgona to await ships and men to carry- 
out his plan. 

The Spanish colonists at Panama prevailed upon the Gov- 
ernor to send another ship with supplies to the Spaniards. 
When it arrived at the island of Gorgona, Pizarro urged 
the men to remain with him so that he might conquer Peru. 

Pizarro Lands in Peru. — With the aid of these few men, 
Pizarro sailed to the southeast for twenty days and landed 
at Tumbez on the coast of Peru, three degrees south of the 
equator. Here the Spaniards found more signs of civili- 
zation than at any other place in their travels ; but, best of 
all, they found here a plentiful supply of gold and silver. 

As the Peruvians were too numerous to be conquered by 
a small number of Spaniards, Pizarro sailed along the coast, 
collected as much gold and other precious metals as he 
could, and then returned to Panama. 

The Governor was still opposed to Pizarro's conquest 
of Peru : he was not willing to lend any assistance to the 
project. Pizarro embarked for Spain and told his story 
to the King and his counselors. They made him Governor, 
Captain-General, and Admiral of the country. 

He Returns to Peru. — With this authority Pizarro 
departed from Spain, landed at Panama, and sailed with 
three ships and about 200 men for Peru. In thirteen days 
they landed at the Bay of St. Matthew. The Spaniards 
then traveled on foot along the coast of Ecuador and Peru, 
subduing the natives and procuring large quantities of 
gold. 

One of .the ships was then sent back to Panama and Nic- 
aragua with presents of gold to some of the influential 
men of both countries, and a request for additional soldiers. 
A month or so later Pizarro and his men were encouraged 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO 



97 



by the arrival of a number of soldiers from Nicaragua. 
Leaving Tumbez, the Spanish soldiers journeyed on till 
they came to the Piura River. Here they built the first 
town in Peru and called it St. Michael. 

About that time the King or Inca of Peru died, leaving 
two sons, Atahualpa and Huascar. These young men 
fought for the control of the country. Pizarro saw that 




The Capture of Atahualpa 



this opportunity was too good to be neglected, so he marched 
forward, and after twelve days approached the encampment 
of Atahualpa. He sent two of his brothers to the Inca 
inviting him to a conference. Atahualpa said that he would 
come the next day. True to his word, he came at the ap- 
pointed time with a large unarmed body-guard. 



98 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

A Spanish priest spoke to the Inca about the religion of 
Jesus Christ. Atahualpa, taking the Bible in his hands, 
threw it on the ground and told the priest he did not wish 
to become a Christian. This insulting act on the part of 
the Inca was the signal for battle. The Spaniards flew to 
arms, attacked the Peruvians, and seized the Inca. 

The Wisdom of Atahualpa. — After some time the Peru- 
vian King realized that the Spaniards were looking chiefly 
for gold ; so he promised Pizarro a roomful of that precious 
metal if he would grant him freedom. The Captain-Gen- 
eral agreed. The Inca, delighted at the thought of being 
free once more, sent word to all his friends to fill the room 
with gold. 

In the meantime Atahualpa heard that Huascar, who 
was in prison, had promised to give Pizarro a larger quantity 
of gold if he would set him at liberty. Fearing that his 
brother might gain his freedom, Atahualpa had him put to 
death. 

When the Inca had given the amount of gold promised, 
he thought that Pizarro ought to fulfill his part of the agree- 
ment. The Captain-General, however, had no intention 
of doing so. On the contrary, he caused the Inca to be 
tried, found guilty, and put to death on June 24, 1534. 

Peru is Conquered. — With the two Incas out of the 
way, Pizarro found little difficulty in subduing the whole 
of Peru ; and on January 6, 1535, founded the city of Lima. 

After Almagro had subdued the inhabitants of Chili, 
the Peruvians rebelled against Pizarro ; and had not the 
Conqueror of Chili returned to Cuzco, that city would have 
fallen into the hands of the Indians. 

Almagro then claimed the city of Cuzco as a part of his 
territory, but Pizarro said it belonged to Peru. To settle 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO 99 

the question, the soldiers of both conquerors fought, with 
the result that Almagro was defeated and put to death in 

July, 1538. 

Three years later the followers of Almagro formed a con- 
spiracy and put Pizarro to death in his own palace. Thus 
died the conqueror of Peru after gaining the reputation of 
being the most cruel and unscrupulous pioneer of the 
American continent. 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

1. Describe Pizarro tending swine on the hillside. 2. Give an ac- 
count of the conversation between Pizarro and the stranger. 3. What 
kind of man do you think the stranger was ? 4. Why do you sup- 
pose that the officer recommended Pizarro ? 5. Why was he a favorite 
companion on Balboa's expedition ? 6. How was he helped to fit out 
his expedition ? 7. Locate the Pearl Islands. 8. Describe the 
people of Colombia as Pizarro saw them. 9. Tell about Pizarro' s 
landing in Peru. 10. Why did the Governor of Panama refuse to lend 
assistance? 11. What special authority did Pizarro receive from 
Spain? 12. What was the first town built in Peru? 13. Who were 
the Incas ? 14. To what did Pizarro and the Inca agree? 15. How 
did each keep his promise ? 16. When was the city of Lima founded ? 
17. Locate the city and tell for what it is noted. 18. What great 
Catholic woman was born in that city ? 19. What do you think of 
the character of Pizarro ? 20. Did he treat Almagro unjustly ? 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

I. If you were to follow in the footsteps of Pizarro, mention the coun- 
tries through which you would pass and the remarkable places 
you would see. 
II. State the characteristics possessed by the natives of Peru which 
made them superior to the inhabitants of Florida. 

III. Read the life of St. Rose of Lima, and tell why it appeals to you. 

IV. Discuss in class: "Was Pizarro, in his conquests, prompted solely 

by a love of gold ?" 



100 



STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 



PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 



Atahualpa, a'ta wal'pa 
Chili (chill), Chile (che'la) 
Colombia, ko lom'be a 
Cuzco, koos'ko 
Ecuador, ek'wd dor' 
Gallo, gal'yo 
Gorgona, gor go'na 



Huascar, was kar' 

Luque, loo'ka 

Ojeda, 6 ha'tha 

Piura, pyoo'ra 

Tacamez, ta ka/mes 

Tumbez, toom'bes, toom'bSth 



FATHER LUIS CANCER, O.S.D. 

A Good Question. — " You asked us last evening, 
Sister, to find out all we could about the great Dominican 
missionary, Father Luis Cancer. I looked in my history 
and did not find a single word about him. Is that not 
strange, Sister ? " 

" Yes, John, it is very strange indeed that a school history 
should not even mention the name of this heroic priest who 
shed his blood for the faith in the present state of Florida. 
Did you look in the Catholic Encyclopedia ? " 

" No, Sister, I did not." 

" That excellent work has a short account of Father 
Cancer." 

" Don't you think, Sister, that Catholics ought to know 
more about the life of this great missionary than they do ? ' 

" I certainly do, John. So close your books, take a good 
sitting position, and I will tell you about him." 

His Life in Spain. — " Father Cancer was born at Sara- 
gossa, Spain, towards the end of the fifteenth century. He 
doubtless was educated like the ordinary Spanish boy of 
his time. As a child he was deeply religious ; when he grew 
to manhood, the wish to become a priest manifested itself 
more and more. Later on Luis entered the Dominican 
Order, studied for the priesthood, was ordained, and volun- 
teered to go to the New World to convert the Indians. It 
is difficult to say when he landed in America. One thing is 
certain; he was at the city of San Domingo in 1533, and 
was reputed to be a man of great holiness. 

IOI 



102 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

He Accompanies Father Las Casas. — " When Father 
Las Casas was preparing to make a second visit to Peru to 
see that the natives were not enslaved by the Spaniards, 
Father Cancer was selected as one of his traveling com- 
panions. About the beginning of the year 1534, the 
Dominican missionaries left San Domingo, and landed at 
Leon, Nicaragua, where they rested. Continuing their 
journey by land to Corinto, they subsequently embarked 
for Peru. After a few days at sea, a terrible storm arose and 
compelled the ship to return to Corinto. 

" When it became known that Father Las Casas and his 
fellow-Dominicans were forced to give up the expedition 
to Peru, Bishop Marroquin of Guatemala invited the 
missioners to his diocese to labor among the Indians. 

" Three of the Dominicans, Fathers Cancer, Las Casas, 
and de Angulo, accepted Bishop Marroquin's invitation, 
and went at once to Santiago. On their arrival they 
received a hearty welcome from the bishop and the Spanish 
colonists. 

The Wrong Method of Converting the Indians. — " The 
Spanish colonists at Guatemala had already introduced a 
method of converting the Indians of which Bishop Marro- 
quin did not approve. They were in the habit of sending 
communications to the natives calling on them to acknowl- 
edge the King of Spain as their sovereign, and the Pope 
of Rome as their spiritual head. When the Indians did not 
do so at once, they were unjustly attacked by the Spanish 
soldiers, and killed or beaten into subjection, — those who 
were taken alive became the slaves of the colonists. This 
abominable practice had continued for years in spite of the 
orders issued by the King and the Pope to prevent it. 

" The Dominican Fathers were utterly opposed to this 



FATHER LUIS CANCER, O.S.D. 



103 



cruel way of dealing with the Indians. They proposed to 
bring the natives into the Church by preaching to them the 
Gospel of Jesus Christ. The colonists, however, said that 
this was impossible. 

" ' Let them try their preaching on the inhabitants of the 
" Land of War/' ' said one of the chief men of the town. 

" The courageous Dominican missionaries took up the 
challenge, declaring that they were willing to go to the 







A Novel Way of Christianizing the Indians 



' Land of War ' and convert the inhabitants. The 
Spaniards, it must be remembered, had heretofore failed 
to conquer these ferocious and warlike people. 

A Novel Plan to Convert the Indians. — " When the 
Dominican missionaries had mastered the language used 
by the natives of Guatemala, they hired four Christian 
Indians who made their living selling goods to the people 



104 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

of the ' Land of War/ They taught these to sing a number 
of catechetical couplets which told of the most important 
doctrines of our holy religion. Thus equipped, the four 
Christian Indians went to the * Land of War ' to trade with 
the Indians and to sing the couplets to them. The first 
concert so delighted the red men that the singers were 
asked to repeat the performance the next night. This was 
done with still greater success. One of the singers played a 
musical instrument known to the natives, the second had a 
pair of castanets, the third had a pair of cymbals, and the 
fourth singer used a timbrel. 

" When the chief of the Indians had heard the couplets 
about the creation of the world, paradise, the redemption of 
man, etc., he asked the visitors to explain further these 
things to him. 

" 'That we cannot do/ said the singers, ' but the Fathers 
who live down in the white man's village can explain these 
things/ 

" The chief then sent one of his tribe with the four traders 
to ask the Dominicans to come to the mountains to explain 
the doctrines of the Christian religion. 

"Father Cancer went at once to the 'Land of War ' 
and instructed the inhabitants. So great was the success 
of his teaching that the chief and a large number of his 
followers were baptized. 

" Having converted the Indians of the ' Land of War ' 
without shedding a drop of blood, Father Cancer accom- 
panied Bishop Las Casas to Spain. As soon as he reached 
his native land, the news of de Soto's failure to conquer the 
Indians of Florida was the chief topic of conversation. 
Without a moment's hesitation, Father Cancer offered his 
services to Christianize the warlike people. No one but a 




Father Cancer Faces Death 



105 



106 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

real hero would have made such an offer. Had not Ponce de 
Leon, Narvaez, and de Soto failed to conquer them ? 

Father Cancer Goes to Martyrdom. — " The Spanish 
prince who was then in charge of the kingdom of Spain was 
thrilled by the zeal and the bravery of Father Cancer. 
Consequently, he gave orders to have an expedition fitted 
out to carry the courageous missionary and his fellow 
laborers to the New World. The ship landed at Vera Cruz 
in 1548. Father Cancer went at once to the city of Mexico 
to get the permission of his superior to undertake the 
mission to Florida. He and his brother Dominicans then 
sailed to Havana, and thence to Tampa Bay, Florida. 

" The Indians noticed the approach of the vessel, and 
waited in their hiding-places for the missionaries to land. 
Father Diego de Tolosa and Brother Fuentes were the first 
to make their way to the shore. They had scarcely reached 
land when they were killed by the arrows of the Indians. 

" The natives then left their hiding-places and rushed 
towards the shore. When they perceived that the white 
men whom they had killed were unarmed, they were very 
much surprised. At that moment Father Cancer felt an 
impulse to go to the children of the forest. His com- 
panions tried to persuade him from doing so, but without 
avail. 

" 'The Saviour died for me on the Cross,' he said, ' and 
should not I be willing to sacrifice my life to bring the glad 
tidings of the religion of Jesus Christ to these savages ? ' 

" Holding a large crucifix in his hand, Father Cancer, 
burning with zeal for the salvation of souls, went toward 
the shore ; but before he had time to say a word to the 
Indians his heart was pierced by an arrow. 

" Thus died the first martyrs to the Faith in the United 



FATHER LUIS CANCER, O.S.D 107 

States. May their blessed memory ever live in the hearts of 
a grateful people ! " 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

I. Do school histories, as a rule, fail to do justice to the memory of 
Father Cancer? 2. Give a brief account of his early life. 3. How 
did he become so friendly with Father Las Casas ? 4. What did Bishop 
Marroquin propose to the Dominicans'? 5. Relate the method fol- 
lowed by the colonists in civilizing and Christianizing the natives. 
6. What method did the Dominicans propose ? 7. Show how they pro- 
ceeded in converting the Indians. 8. When Father Cancer called on 
the prince, what work did he propose to undertake ? 9. Why did the 
natives of Florida show no mercy to the missionaries ? 10. Describe 
the death of the nrst three martyrs of the United States. 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

I. When the Spaniards first went to Guatemala, they called that 
country the "Land of War," but after Father Cancer and his 
fellow missionaries had labored among the inhabitants for some 
time, the country was called the "Land of Peace." Account 
for the two names. 
II. Study the history and geography of Guatemala so as to be able 
to tell the class some interesting facts about this Republic of 
Central America. 
III. Discuss in class : "Is martyrdom the noblest death ?" 

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 

Corinto, ko ren'to Fuentes, fwen'tas 

Diego de Tolosa, de a/go da Leon, la on' 

to lo'sa Marroquin, mar ro kwin r 

encyclopedia, en si'klo pe'di a Saragossa, sa/rd gos'd 



JOHN VERRAZANO 

How the French King Was Interested. —At the beginning 
of the sixteenth century, in one of the towns of France, two 
young men could be seen in an animated conversation. The 
quickness of their utterance and their many gestures showed 
plainly that they were intensely interested in the subject. 

" I wonder/' said Paul, " why France has not sent an 
exploring expedition to the New World." 

Because the King and the people of our country have 
not ambition enough to do so," answered Peter. 

" Why should such a vast country with all its riches be 
parceled out among our enemies, the Spaniards and the 
English ? " 

" I certainly do not know. As a Frenchman I feel 
ashamed that my native land has not yet made a settlement 
in the New World." 

" Suppose we agitate this matter and bring it forcibly 
to the attention of the King and the people, don't you think 
that something might be done to get a share of the New 
World for France ? " 

" I think that is an excellent idea. Let us see what we 
can do." 

It is difficult to say whether the agitation set on foot by 
these two Frenchmen had anything to do in interesting the 
King of France in the New World. Perhaps the vast 
amount of gold and other precious metals brought back to 
Spain by the explorers had more to do in the matter than 
anything else. What do you think ? 

1 08 



JOHN VERRAZANO 109 

About this time John Verrazano, who was born near 
Florence, Italy, toward the close of the fifteenth century, 
entered the service of the King of France, and became famous 
as a pirate. He played havoc among Spanish vessels 
coming home, laden with the golden treasures of Mexico. 
In 1523 he captured two ships coming from the Azores. 
The large amount of gold which he thus plundered enabled 
Verrazano to make presents of great value to the King and 
the nobility of France. 

A French Expedition. — Shortly after this an expedition 
consisting of four ships, under the command of Verrazano, 
left France to discover a new way to the East. Storms 
disabled three of the vessels before they reached Madeira, 
so that only one ship and fifty men started to cross the 
Atlantic. Sailing to the westward with a light breeze, 
Verrazano reached the American coast near the present 
State of North Carolina. 

The Commander first turned his ship toward the south in 
search of a port where he might survey the country; 
finding none, he sailed along the coast toward the north. 

" See/' said one of the sailors, " the many fires along the 
coast. This country must be inhabited. I wonder what 
kind of beings live here." 

These words aroused the curiosity of the other men. All 
were on the watch for the appearance of the natives. Pres- 
ently a number of Indians were seen on the coast. The 
ship cast anchor, and a few of the sailors rowed to the shore. 
As the Frenchmen approached land, the Indians fled in 
terror; but after some time the natives returned, offered 
food to the strangers, and pointed out a safe place to land. 

Verrazano and his men were delighted with the country. 
The sandy shore, the broad fields, the immense forests, the 




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o 

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S3 
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110 



JOHN VERRAZANO 111 

perfume of the pines, the singing of the beautifully plumaged 
birds, and the numerous wild flowers and fruit trees gave 
the French seamen unbounded pleasure. 

Other Points Noted. — After this pleasing sight, Verra- 
zano continued his journey along the coast, exploring, now 
and then, the many bays and rivers he saw on his way to 
New York harbor. The latter place was the most beautiful 
spot which the Frenchmen had yet seen. Here they landed, 
intending to explore the place ; but, before they had accom- 
plished very much, a threatening storm and a very high 
wind forced them to return to their ship. 

Verrazano then sailed through Long Island Sound and 
Narragansett Bay to Newport harbor. Here he remained 
for some days making a survey of the surrounding country, 
looking for a passage to Cathay, and searching for gold. 
Finding neither, the Commander steered out into the 
Atlantic and up the coast toward Maine. Here the Indians 
would neither come near the ship nor allow the Frenchmen 
to land. Verrazano, however, went ashore in spite of them, 
and explored the country thereabout. 

He Returns to France. — After returning to his ship the 
Commander found that his provisions were getting scarce; 
so he went back to France. On landing he gave a most 
interesting account of his trip from Carolina to Maine, told 
the people about the many wonderful things he had seen, 
and insisted that the way to Cathay did not lie through the 
New World. 

Such is a brief account of the first exploring voyage made 
under the auspices of France in the continent of North 
America, by John Verrazano. It did not bring wealth and 
riches to the French nation, but it paved the way for other 
expeditions. 



112 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

I. Can you add anything to the conversation that took place be- 
tween the two Frenchmen ? 2. Locate Florence and Madeira. 3. How 
was Verrazano able to make costly gifts to the King of France ? 
4. What coast did he touch ? 5. How did he and the Frenchmen like 
the new country ? 6. Describe the meeting of the Indians. 7. Flow 
far north did he sail ? 8. Tell about his voyage along the coast. 
9. What was the result of the expedition ? 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

I. Has it ever occurred to you that Verrazano's expedition to the 
New World is of special interest to the people of the United States ? 
Be prepared to express your opinion regarding this phase of the 
subject. 
II. Compare Verrazano's voyage of exploration with that of John 
Cabot ; decide which is the more important and give your reason 
for saying so. 

III. Enumerate and locate the different possessions which France once 

had in America, and point out those which she has at the present 
time. 

IV. Discuss in class: "Why did European nations, such as France, 

wish to explore and colonize the New World ?" 

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 

Azores, a zorz' ISTarragansett, n£r'd g&n'sSt 

Cathay, k£ tha' Verrazano, ver'rat sa/no 

Madeira, md de'rd 



JAMES CARTIER* 

The Commander of the Expedition. — When John Verra- 
zano returned to France in 1524, after exploring the Atlantic 
coast from Carolina to Maine, he told the people about the 
wonderful New World which had been discovered. Many 
Frenchmen were so delighted with his glowing accounts 
that they desired to go at once to the newly found land. It 
was ten years, however, before another French expedition 
was fitted out. 

The man selected by the King to command the second 
expedition was James Cartier. He was born at St. Malo, 
France, one year before Columbus discovered America. 
There is very little known about his early life. It is certain, 
however, that his education was not neglected. His 
religious training, especially, must have been thorough, 
because it is evident everywhere in his after life. 

As a young man he doubtless followed the sea, and made 
rapid progress in the art and science of navigation. When 
he conversed with the King of France regarding his voyage 
of exploration, that monarch was very much impressed by 
his plans, and gave orders to have two ships fitted out for 
him so that he might search for a passage to the East Indies. 

Cartier Sails from France. — When all things were in 
readiness James Cartier, in command of two ships and 120 
men, left St. Malo on April 20, 1534, and sailed across the 
Atlantic Ocean in the direction of Newfoundland. Blessed 
with favorable winds, the ships sighted Cape Bonavista on 

1 Jacques Cartier. 
I 113 



114 



STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 




Cartier Trading with the Indians 



the tenth of May. Large 
floes of ice prevented the 
vessels from entering the 
bay of that name, so they 
sailed southeast to a har- 
bor which Cartier called 
St. Katharine. Having 
rested here for nine or ten 
days, the Captain turned 
his ships toward the north 
and reached Bird Island, 
so called from the immense 
number of birds found 
there. He then proceeded 
northeastward, sailed 
through the strait of Belle 
Isle, entered the Gulf of 
St. Lawrence, and, on the 
opposite side of the gulf, 
erected a large cross and 
took possession of the 
country in the name of the 
King of France. 

What Cartier Saw. — 
The appearance of French- 
men on American soil puz- 
zled the Indians. The 
natives at first remained 
at a distance, but when 
Cartier and his men made 
them understand that they 
came as friends to settle 



JAMES CARTIER 



115 



there and teach the Indians the religion of Jesus Christ, the 
children of the forest became friendly. When Cartier 
gave them glass beads, pieces of bright calico, bits of colored 
glass, and penknives, the Indians were delighted, and their 
chief allowed two of his sons to go back to France with the 
Commander. 

After spending some time exploring the lonely coast of 
Newfoundland and Labrador, Cartier sailed for France, and 




Cartier Sailing up the St. Lawrence 

reached St. Malo on September 5, 1534. The two Indian 
boys were received most kindly by the King and the French 
people. Carrier's account of his voyage so impressed the 
French monarch that another expedition was soon fitted 
out. 

The Second Voyage. — About the middle of May, 1535, 
the second expedition was ready. Before embarking, Cartier 
went to confession, attended the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, 
and received the blessing of the Bishop of St. Malo. The 



116 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

three vessels then weighed anchor and faced toward their 
destination. On their way across the Atlantic, the ships 
lost sight of one another, and not till the 26th of July did 
they all meet again in the harbor of Blanc Cablon. 

After exploring the vicinity Cartier entered the St. 
Lawrence and sailed slowly up the river, examining carefully 
the country on both sides. He passed Saguenay, and 
stopped at the Isle of Orleans. Here the Indians came 
near the ships, but they would not come aboard. However, 
when the two Indian boys who had accompanied Cartier 
to France told them that the French would not harm them, 
they crowded on board the vessels to hear what the sons of 
the chief had to say about France. 

The chief, Donnacona, invited the Frenchmen to visit his 
home at Stadacona, the place where Quebec now stands. 
Cartier and his men accepted the invitation, and spent 
some time there getting acquainted with the Indians and their 
mode of life. 

Goes to Montreal. — When Cartier and his men wished to 
continue their journey up the St. Lawrence, the Indian chief 
at Stadacona tried in every possible way to keep them from 
visiting another chief some distance up the river. His 
efforts, however, were in vain, for the three vessels continued 
their course till they came to Hochelaga, called by Cartier 
Mount Royal or Montreal. 

Having been received most kindly by the chief of Hoche- 
laga, Cartier and his men returned to Stadacona where they 
built a fort in which to spend the winter. Oh, what a winter 
they had ! The Frenchmen, unaccustomed to the climate, 
suffered intensely from the cold. In addition to this, the 
scurvy broke out among the sailors, and sometimes proved 
fatal. At one time all the Frenchmen, with the exception 



JAMES CARTIER 117 

of four or five, were sick from the disease. With such a 
small force, Cartier feared that the Indians might attack 
them at any moment. However, he misjudged the children 
of the forest, for when one of them heard that the French 
were sick from the scurvy, he brought a tea, made from bark 
and leaves, which cured them in a short time. 

Heretofore Cartier had dealt with the Indians most 
justly, and consequently had won their good will and 
friendship. Under the guise of giving a feast to the chief 
and his followers, the Commander invited the Indians on 
board. When he had Chief Donnacona and nine other 
Indians in his possession, he gave orders to sail back to 
France ; and, no matter how the natives pleaded with him 
to allow them to land, he paid no attention to their en- 
treaties. It is hard to understand how a man of Carrier's 
principles could have been guilty of such a mean act. 

The Third Voyage. — In 1541 the King of France made 
Cartier Captain-General, but appointed Roberval the 
Governor of the French possessions in the New World. 
Was the appointment of a Governor pleasing to Cartier ? 
It is hard to say. At any rate the Captain-General, in 
command of five ships, left the coast of France for the St. 
Lawrence River in May of the same year. The Governor, 
however, was unable to go with him. 

When the expedition reached its destination, the French- 
men soon found that the Indians were no longer their 
friends, but their sworn enemies. The natives had not 
forgotten how Cartier had trapped Donnacona and nine 
other Indians, and had taken them to France, where all had 
died with the exception of a little girl. 

Cartier Again Explores the St. Lawrence. — In spite of the 
unfriendly attitude of the Indians, Cartier again ascended 



118 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

the St. Lawrence and explored the surrounding country for 
the purpose of finding either gold or a passage to the East. 
His failure to find either did not help to keep up the spirits 
of his men, many of whom had visions of getting rich quickly, 
as the Spaniards had done in Central America, Mexico, 
and Peru. 

They had scarcely finished their explorations when winter 
set in, and they were obliged to spend some months on the 
banks of the St. Lawrence River not far from Stadacona. 

The changed attitude of the Indians and the non-arrival 
of Governor Roberval caused Cartier to sail for home as 
soon as the ice had melted in the river. As he neared the 
coast of Newfoundland, he met the Governor coming from 
France with three ships and about 200 men. Roberval, 
when he realized where Cartier was going, tried to persuade 
him to turn back, but the Captain-General refused to do so. 

When Cartier reached his native land, he found France at 
war. His arrival consequently was hardly noticed. No 
honors were conferred upon him by the King for the great 
work which he had done; and no welcome of any account 
was extended to him by the people. It was indeed a sad 
ending for such a worthy project. 

Some time after his return to France, it is said that Cartier 
made a fourth voyage to the New World to bring back 
Governor Roberval and his men. The remaining years, of 
his life were spent quietly and peacefully in the vicinity of 
St. Malo, where he died September 1, 1557. 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

I. What led to the second French expedition to America? 2. Give 
an account of Carrier's early years. 3. Locate St. Malo, and tell 
about the saint after whom it was called. 4. Describe Carrier's first 



JAMES CARTIER 119 

voyage. 5. What things in the New World impressed him ? 6. How 
did Carder deal with the Indians ? 7. How do you know that Cartier 
was well received by the King when he returned to France ? 8. Tell 
how Cartier showed that he was a religious man. 9. What did 
he accomplish on his second voyage ? 10. Give an account of his 
trip up the St. Lawrence. 11. Was the climate of Canada more severe 
than the climate of France ? 12. Compare the latitude of both places. 

13. How did the Indians manifest their friendliness for the French? 

14. Show how Cartier returned evil for good. 15. What change did 
the French find when they arrived in the New World the third time ? 
16. Why did Cartier return to France? 17. Did he make a fourth 
voyage? 18. Point out the mistakes made by Cartier. 19. What 
do you think of his character ? 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

L Some boys and girls are interested only in the locality in which 
they live; others take an interest in the whole country; still 
others are interested not only in their own land but in foreign 
countries. To which of these* three classes do you belong? Give 
your reasons. 
II. The history and the geography of Canada are undoubtedly very 
interesting. Enumerate the features that appeal most strongly 
to you. 

III. Many tourists take a trip up the St. Lawrence River. In your 

opinion, what are the most interesting points of the journey? 
Explain how the river was named. 

IV. Discuss in class: "Which treated the Indians more humanely, — 

the French or the Spaniards ?" 

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 

Blanc Cablon, blank kab'lon' Roberval, ro ber val' 

Bonavista, bon'd vis'td Saguenay, s£g'e na/ 

Cartier, kar'tya/ St. Malo, s&n' ma/lo' 

Donnacona, don'nd ko'nd Stadacona, st& dak'6 nil 
Hochelaga, hosh/e l&g'd 



PETER MENENDEZ 

His Early Life. — We often speak of St. Augustine, the 
oldest city in the United States, but how few of us have 
read the story of the distinguished naval commander who 
laid the foundation of that historic spot ! 

Peter Menendez was born in Spain, at the beginning of 
the sixteenth century. He loved the sea so fondly that he 
ran away from home while a mere boy and secured em- 
ployment on a man-of-war bound for the Mediterranean. 
Here the Spanish sailors had an opportunity of testing 
their courage and skill with a band of corsairs from the 
Barbary States. Peter, to the great astonishment of his 
companions, fought like a Trojan. His amazing bravery 
inspired the rest of the crew to redouble their efforts in 
driving off the brigands. 

From this creditable beginning Peter Menendez rose 
rapidly until he became an Admiral and one of the best 
known naval commanders of his age. No sooner, however, 
had he climbed the ladder of fame than great sorrows came 
into his life. His son, while on a voyage to the New World, 
was wrecked off the coast of Florida, and he himself was 
cast into prison for some doubtful crime. 

He Goes to Florida. — As soon as he was liberated, he 
went to King Philip II and begged him to be allowed to 
go to the New World in search of his shipwrecked son. In 
brief, the Spanish monarch made him Governor of Florida, 
and commissioned him to conquer and convert the Indians 
of that country. 

120 



PETER MENENDEZ 



121 



While Menendez was getting his expedition in readiness, 
he heard on good authority that a party of French Hugue- 
nots, under the leadership of Laudonniere and Ribault, had 
made a settlement in Florida, the territory committed to his 
care. This news incensed the Spanish commander. He 




Menendez Before Philip II 



looked upon the action of the French as a direct insult to 
Spain ; and he vowed that he would not tolerate it. 

Foundation of St. Augustine. — With a large force he 
sailed in June, 1565, for the New World. On the following 
August 28, he entered a harbor in Florida and called it St. 
Augustine, from the saint of the day. A rude fort was 
hurriedly built, and the foundation of the oldest city in the 
United States was laid. 

As soon as the fort was erected, the French ships ap- 



122 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

peared before the harbor, and were about to attack the 
Spanish colony when a terrible hurricane scattered the 
attacking fleet. Menendez thereupon hastily journeyed to 
Fort Caroline, captured the garrison, and put to death 
all but a few who escaped. Later on, when Ribault and 
his men surrendered, they were killed like dogs. Thus 
ended the Huguenot settlement in Florida. 

Inhuman Conduct. — The terrible slaughter of these 
Frenchmen is a foul stain on the record of the Spanish 
nation. It is a stigma that will live as long as the two 
nations exist. Some writers have endeavored to make the 
incident appear a religious warfare ; but this contention is 
not borne out by facts. It was chiefly a national struggle. 

The action of Menendez in butchering the French colo- 
nists was certainly outrageous. So, too, was the retalia- 
tion of Dominic de Gourgues, who two years later slaugh- 
tered the Spanish garrison at Fort Caroline. 

Some years after these terrible happenings, when Spain 
was preparing to invade England, Menendez was recalled 
to take charge of the expedition. God, however, demanded 
an accounting of his stewardship before the Spanish Armada 
sailed for England. 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

I. What is the oldest city in the United States? 2. How was it 
founded? 3. Tell of the early life of Menendez. 4. Relate his 
first encounter with the corsairs. 5. Why did he wish to go to the 
New World ? 6. What commission was given to him by the King ? 
7. State the cause of his trouble with the French. 8. What was the 
result of their encounters ? 9. What do you think of Menendez' s treat- 
ment of Ribault and his men? 10. How did De Gourgues retaliate? 
11. Why did Menendez return to Spain ? 



PETER MENENDEZ 123 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

I. Everything that happens in this world has a cause : England's 
unjust treatment of the American colonists caused the Revolu- 
tionary War, and the Revolutionary War brought about American 
Independence. This being so, give the cause of the Spanish 
expedition, known as the Armada, that sailed for England in 1588. 
II. Locate and draw an outline of the Barbary States; get an idea 
of their inhabitants; and explain why the United States went to 
war with Tripoli. 

III. In order to become better acquainted with the Huguenots, or French 

Protestants, mentioned in the text, read the account given of 
them in the "Catholic Encyclopedia," and be ready to express 
your opinion of them. 

IV. Discuss in class: "Did the trouble between Spain and France 

arise from political or religious differences ?" 

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 

Armada, ar rna/dd Laudonniere, lo'do'nyar' 

corsair, kor'sar Menendez, ma nen'dath. 

De Gourgues, de goorg' Bibault, re'bo' 

Huguenots, hu/ge nots Trojan, tro'jan 



REV. PETER MARTINEZ, SJ. 

To Christianize Florida. — When Menendez was com- 
missioned by the Spanish King to conquer and convert the 
natives of Florida in 1565, he was obliged to take with him 
and to support twelve Religious and four members of the 
Society of Jesus. Owing to some unexpected delay the 
four Jesuits were unable to embark with the commander 
and his men. A few months later, however, they set sail 
for the New World. 

The Superior of these missionaries, Rev. Peter Martinez, 
the first Jesuit to land in the New World, was born in 1533 
at Feruel, a little village in the north of Spain. From his 
youth he was devoted heart and soul to the things of God ; 
and he found unbounded pleasure in doing little services 
for others. 

As he grew to manhood, he entered the Society of Jesus, 
and soon was noted for his piety and learning. Everyone 
who knew him felt a special attraction to him. So ad- 
mirable were his qualities of mind and heart that he was 
selected as Superior of the first band of Jesuits to go to the 
New World. 

Before leaving his native land, Father Martinez wrote a 
long letter to St. Francis Borgia, then Superior General of 
the Society. In this memorable communication he said : 

" By the mercy of God, we undertake this voyage with 
courage and with entire confidence in His grace. . . . Rest 
assured, dear Father, that we shall employ all our strength 

124 



REV. PETER MARTINEZ, S.J. 125 

with the assistance of divine grace, in bringing the inhabit- 
ants of those provinces to the knowledge of their Creator 
and Redeemer — that the souls redeemed by the Precious 
Blood of Jesus Christ may not perish forever." 

The Massacre. — When the vessel bearing the Jesuits 
reached the American coast near Florida in 1566, the Cap- 
tain asked a few of the crew to land and explore the neigh- 
boring country. At first the men refused to endanger their 
lives by going among the fierce Indians whom they saw 
on the shore. Finally about a dozen of them were willing 
to land, if Father Martinez would accompany them. The 
brave priest was the first to go into the boat. 

When Father Martinez and his companions had reached 
land, a terrible storm arose and drove the ship, which they 
had left, far from the shore. On this wild and dreary coast 
the exploring party waited for ten days thinking that some 
vessel might come to their assistance ; but alas ! they 
were doomed to disappointment. 

Father Martinez and his brave companions were thus 
left to the mercy of the Indians. For some days they sub- 
sisted on a few herbs gathered in the vicinity. All this time 
the natives were waiting for an opportunity to seize them. 
One day as the Spaniards were traveling through a wild 
country, the Indians pounced upon them, massacred the 
brave Jesuit, but spared his companions. 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

1. Who were to have accompanied Menendez on his expedition to 
Florida? 2. Tell something of Father Martinez's early life. 3. For 
what special virtues was he remarkable ? 4. What did he say in 
his letter to St. Francis Borgia? 5. Were the crew anxious to land? 
6. Upon what condition did they do so ? 7. What misfortune befell 
them ? 8. Give an account of Father Martinez's martyrdom. 



126 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 



CORRELATED STUDIES 



I. Look up the early history of Florida; note especially the explorers 
who tried to conquer it, and the missionaries who watered its 
soil with their blood. 
II. Read a short account of the Society of Jesus, paying particular 
attention not only to the purpose of its foundation, but to what 
it has accomplished in the United States. 

III. Locate the island of Cumberland where Father Martinez was 

massacred; tell for what it is noted; and name the American 
general who lived and died there. 

IV. Discuss in class: "Was the Spaniards' treatment of the Indians of 

Florida in any way responsible for the massacre of Father Mar- 
tinez ?" 

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 

Borgia, bor'ja Martinez, mar te'nath 

Feruel, fer'oo el 



SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 

His Ambition. — One sultry afternoon two gentlemen, 
while walking leisurely along the wharves of an English port, 
were attracted by a boy who sat watching the ships in the 
harbor. 

" That lad," said one of the gentlemen, " is one day 
going to be a sailor. See the interest he takes in the ves- 
sels ! Notice how intently he watches them sail out of the 
harbor ! " 

The two gentlemen thereupon approached the boy and 
spoke to him. " Why are you watching these vessels so 
intently, my lad ? Is your father aboard one of them ? 
Or are you wishing that you were a sailor ? " 

" I was just thinking, sir, how happy I should be on that 
large vessel. I want to be a sailor. That is my ambition. 
No other life has an attraction for me." 

The boy who made this answer was Francis Drake, one 
of the most popular heroes of the English navy. He was 
the eldest of a family of twelve children and lived near 
Plymouth on the southern coast of England. Francis was 
born about the middle of the sixteenth century, when the 
minds of young and old were taken up with the doings of 
the great navigators of the past fifty years. Living near 
the seashore and close to an important port, he was naturally 
interested in sailors and ships. 

He Goes to Sea. — It was a happy day for Francis when 
his parents gave him permission to be a cabin boy on a 
sailing vessel. He was so bright and cheerful and made 

127 




128 



SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 129 

himself so useful that the Captain took a special interest 
in him. On the other hand, no one could have served the 
master of the vessel better than this boy. He did every- 
thing as if he were doing it for himself. The Captain was 
so impressed by this that, when he died a few years later, 
he gave his ship to young Drake as a reward for faithful 
service. 

Drake then decided to go with a daring sea-captain, John 
Hawkins, on a voyage to the West Indies. A Spanish 
fleet, however, completely destroyed the five English ships, 
and Hawkins and Drake had a narrow escape from drowning. 
This incident made such a deep impression on Drake 
that he vowed he would have revenge upon the Spaniards 
if it took him a lifetime. It was then that he began a 
life of piracy upon the Spanish possessions and Spanish 
ships. 

After making several short voyages of plunder, Drake 
left England in November, 1577, with a fleet of five ships. 
Having sailed for about two months, they reached Brazil. 
Skirting the coast the fleet sailed to the south. Terrible 
storms and dense fogs not only impeded their progress 
but caused the destruction of two of the ships. 

Acts of Piracy. — About the middle of August, 1578, 
Drake with three vessels entered the Strait of Magellan. 
During the passage through the strait one ship was lost 
and another deserted him. This, however, did not dis- 
courage the English Captain. He proceeded at once along 
the western coast of South America till he came to the 
harbor of Valparaiso. Here he surprised and captured a 
Spanish ship loaded with gold and wine ; then entered the 
town and secured an abundant supply of provisions. 

Some months later Drake sailed into the port of Lima 

K 



130 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

and caused considerable consternation. Seeing here noth- 
ing that he greatly desired, and hearing that a treasure- 
laden vessel had recently left for Panama, he started in hot 
pursuit. After a long and exciting race, the Spanish ship 
was captured and a large quantity of gold and jewels taken 
from her. 

The next victims of Drake's injustice were a few Span- 
ish ships returning heavily laden from the far East. After 
confiscating whatever valuables they had, the English Cap- 
tain steered toward the north and reached California, which 
he called New Albion. Here the Indians greeted him most 
kindly, and asked him to stay with them and to become 
their king. Drake, however, was too eager to carry back 
his stolen treasures to England. 

His Return Voyage. — Fearing lest the Spaniards should 
lie in wait for him were he to return as he came, Drake 
decided to follow another course. Accordingly, he crossed 
the Pacific Ocean, and landed at the Philippine Islands, 
where he obtained a quantity of provisions from the natives. 
Thus supplied he steered toward the Cape of Good Hope, 
skirted the western coast of Africa, and arrived in England 
November 3, 1580, after an absence of nearly three years. 

Great indeed was the reception accorded to him. High 
and low vied with one another in honoring him. Queen 
Elizabeth, we are told, dined on board his ship, and made 
him a knight. 

Drake was a most courageous and skillful sailor; he 
fought valiantly for his country when it was attacked by 
the Spanish Armada; he was moreover the second to cir- 
cumnavigate the globe. For these deeds we honor him. 
With his life as a pirate we have no sympathy. The histo- 
rian Bancroft truly says : " The adventures of Drake were but 



SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 131 

a career of splendid piracy against a nation with which his 
sovereign and his country professed to be at peace." 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

I. Repeat the conversation between Francis Drake and the two gentle- 
men. 2. What circumstance in his early life helped to foster his love 
for the sea? 3. How was his desire fulfilled? 4. Why was the 
Captain so interested in Francis Drake? 5. How was the young sailor 
rewarded ? 6. What incident occurred to increase Drake's dislike 
for the Spaniards ? 7. State how it affected his later life. 8. Why 
did he make a voyage to the New World ? 9. Describe his passage 
through the Strait of Magellan. 10. Tell about his exploits at Val- 
paraiso and along the Pacific coast. 11. Give an account of his recep- 
tion by the Indians at California. 12. What caused him to cross the 
Pacific on his homeward voyage? 13. Why was he given a warm 
reception on his return to England ? 14. What signal honor was 
conferred upon him by Queen Elizabeth? 15. Do you think that he 
deserved that honor ? 16. Having read the story of Sir Francis Drake, 
could you tell that he was not a Catholic ? 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

I. Read about the wonderful State of California where Drake landed, 
and note the landmarks of the Catholic missionaries. Study the 
shape of this State, and tell what you know about the climate. 
II. You will notice that both Drake and Verrazano were at one time 
pirates. How did they win the favor of their sovereigns ? Was 
piracy considered less criminal then than it is now ? 

III. Explain the connection between the circumference of the earth 

and the circumnavigation of the globe. 

IV. Discuss in class: "Does Bancroft give a just estimation of Drake's 

work?" 

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 

Albion, al'bl un Valparaiso, v&l'pd ri'so, val'pa- 

Plymouth, plim/wth ra e'so 



REV. PETER DE CORPA, O.S.F. 

A Classroom Scene. — " What do you mean by a martyr, 
Mary ? ' asked Father Burke, who was visiting the class- 
room. 

" A martyr, Father, is one who dies for his faith." 

" That is a good answer, Mary. Can any pupil give a 
better one ? " 

The boys and girls put on their thinking caps. Silence 
reigned supreme for a minute or two. Teresa then raised 
her hand. 

' Well, Teresa, what is your definition of a martyr ? ' 

" A martyr, Father, is one who sacrifices his life for the 
religion of Jesus Christ." 

" That is very good, Teresa. Can you tell me the name 
of the first martyr ? " 

Teresa did not know. So Father Burke said : ' Can 
any boy or girl in the class tell me ? " 

" The first martyr, Father, was St. Stephen. He was 
stoned to death." 

" That is excellent, Fred. Can you tell me the names of 
some of the martyrs of the United States ? " 

' Sister told us the names of several American martyrs, 
but I remember only one of them, Father de Corpa." 

" I want to tell you, boys and girls, about this holy and 
heroic missionary." 

A Franciscan Martyr. — In 1577 the Franciscans came 
from Spain to St. Augustine to labor among the Indians of 

132 



REV. PETER DE CORPA, O.S.F. 133 

the neighborhood. Sixteen years later other missionaries 
came. These zealous ambassadors of Christ underwent all 
kinds of hardships and fatigues in their priestly labors. 
Exposed to the burning sun, and oftentimes without enough 
to eat, they toiled like true soldiers of Jesus Christ. 

Foremost among these missionaries was the Rev. Peter 
de Corpa, who with three other Franciscans carried the 
light of the Gospel to the inhabitants of the coast of Georgia, 
and subsequently to the Indians in the vicinity of St. Augus- 
tine. The men among these wild and ferocious people were 
accustomed to have a number of wives. It was oftentimes 
very difficult to persuade some of the braves to give up all 
but one of their wives. This they had to do before the 
Franciscans would baptize them. 

On one occasion, a chief who had been baptized took 
back all his wives, and thus gave great scandal to the other 
Christian Indians. Father de Corpa like a kind father 
appealed to him privately. 

Words of Counsel. — " My son," said the kind priest, 
" did you not promise before you were baptized to put 
away all your wives ? ' 

" Yes, I promised," replied the young chief, " but I am 
sorry I did so. I do not think that it is just towards my 
other wives. They love me as dearly as the one I kept. 
I do not see what harm it is to keep them all. I can sup- 
port them." 

" Our religion," said Father de Corpa, " forbids a man 
to have more than one wife at the same time. You knew 
that when you became a Christian. You put away all your 
wives but one. You promised to live up to the laws of 
our holy religion. It is a sign of weakness to break your 
promise. Be a man of your word." 



134 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

" I cannot give up all my wives," said the Indian, " they 
are too dear to me." 

" If you are not willing to live like the other Christian 
Indians, we must cut you off from the religion of Jesus 
Christ." 

" I do not care what you do. I will keep all my wives." 

Perceiving that this private talk did not produce the de- 
sired effect, Father de Corpa spoke of the matter publicly. 
He explained to the Indians of the neighborhood that he 
had counseled the chief to put away all but one of his wives, 
and that the latter was not willing. He then called their at- 
tention to the strict law of the Christian religion regarding 
marriage. 

A Dastardly Act. — When the chief heard that Father de 
Corpa had spoken of him publicly and had condemned his 
actions, he vowed speedy vengeance; he determined to 
silence forever the priest who dared to insult him. 

A few evenings later, the Indian and one or two follow- 
ers remained in the rude chapel till Father de Corpa came 
in to pay a visit to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. 
They waited patiently till the good missionary was wrapt 
in devotion. The golden opportunity was at hand. Like 
tigers eager for their prey, they crept up behind him. The 
tomahawk of the chief was raised, and in a moment the 
brains of the priest were upon the floor. 

Such was the earthly reward of Father de Corpa. Who 
can describe the heavenly bliss which he now enjoys ? 

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 

I. What do you think of Teresa's definition of a martyr? 2. Why 
is it better than the one given by Mary ? 3. Why were the Franciscans 
so called? 4. What Franciscan saints do you know? 5. Give an 



REV. PETER DE CORPA, O.S.F. 135 

account of the trials and hardships which the Franciscans underwent in 
Florida. 6. What special obstacle did the missionaries have to over- 
come there ? 7. Repeat the conversation between Father de Corpa 
and the Indian. 8. What was the outcome of the priests counsel ? 
9. How did the Indian take revenge ? 10. Describe the scene in the 
chapel. 

CORRELATED STUDIES 

I. Read the life of the founder of the Franciscans, St. Francis of Assisi, 
and ascertain why this great saint is so popular with both Catho- 
lics and non-Catholics. 
II. Write for the class a short paper telling of the chief products of 
Georgia, mentioning at the same time those that are used in 
the United States, and those that are exported. 

III. Consult the "Catholic Dictionary," page 552, for the definition of a 

martyr given by Pope Benedict XIV. Compare this with the 
definition given in "Webster's International Dictionary. " 

IV. Discuss in class: "Was the famous Father Damien of Molokai 

a martyr ?"" 



APPENDIX 

ST. BRENDAN 

St. Brendan was born in County Kerry, Ireland, in 484, 
and was elevated to the priesthood in 512. It was during 
his time that Christian missionaries went forth from Ireland 
to preach the Gospel in foreign lands. St. Brendan and a 
number of monks are said to have sailed in search of a dis- 
tant land, and after a voyage of seven years to have reached 
the American continent. There is, however, no historical 
proof of this journey. 

THE NORTHMEN 

History tells us that the Northmen reached the shores of 
Iceland about the year 784. Here a prosperous settlement 
was made and a government established. Later on a 
comparatively rich Icelandic literature sprang up, and the 
Catholic religion flourished. 

From the historical records of Iceland we learn that the 
Northmen discovered Greenland at the end of the ninth 
century, colonized it in the tenth, and Christianized it in 
the eleventh. The same sources tell us that a country 
southwest of Greenland was discovered by these same 
daring seamen and called Vinland. It is almost certain 
that this country was on the mainland of North America, 
but no permanent settlements appear to have been made. 
For a more lengthy account of this interesting subject read 
" A History of the Roman Catholic Church in the United 
States " by Right Rev. Thomas O'Gorman, D.D. 

137 



138 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

REV. JUAN PEREZ 

Rev. Juan Perez was born in the latter part of the fifteenth 
century of noble Spanish parents. At one time he was 
accountant to Queen Isabella, but later he entered the 
Franciscan Order. Having distinguished himself for piety 
and learning, Queen Isabella chose him for her confessor. 
Father Perez, however, finding court life too distracting, 
received the Queen's permission to return to his cell at La 
Rabida. Here it was that Columbus met and interested 
the zealous Franciscan in his plan for a new route to India. 

PAOLO TOSCANELLI 

Paolo Toscanelli (i 397-1482), the celebrated math- 
ematician, astronomer, and cosmographer, was born at 
Florence, Italy. Being one of the most distinguished sci- 
entists of the fifteenth century, it was natural that he 
should have been consulted by European kings as to the 
feasibility of the plans of Columbus to find a new route 
to India. It is also said that Columbus, some time before 
he embarked on his ever-memorable voyage, asked the 
advice of Toscanelli. 

THE JULIAN AND THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR 

For hundreds of years before the time of our Lord, the 
Greeks and the Romans had considerable trouble in reckon- 
ing and arranging the number of days in a year. Their 
year, it must be remembered, had but 355 days. The great 
Julius Caesar, 45 B.C., put an end to the trouble by de- 
ciding that there were 365-^ days in a year. He arranged 
to have four months with thirty days, seven months with 
thirty-one days, and February to have 28. The total 



APPENDIX 139 

made but 365 days. In order to provide for the extra 
fraction of a day, Caesar decided that February should have 
29 days every fourth year. 

For more than fifteen hundred years the Julian Calendar 
was followed. Subsequently, it dawned on the minds of 
men that the length of a year was not 365 days and 6 hours 
as Caesar said, but only 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes and 
48 seconds. Consequently, every Julian year was 11 min- 
utes and 12 seconds too long. In the time of Pope 
Gregory XIII the error amounted to ten days. Accord- 
ingly, the ten days were dropped, and October 4, 1582, was 
called October 15, 1582. To correct the error made by 
Caesar, the Pope decreed that only each fourth centurial 
year should be a leap year; for example 1600, 2000, 2400 
2800, 3200 have 366 days, but 1700, 1800, 1900, 2100, 2200, 
2300, have 365. The Julian Calendar is called the Old 
Style and the Gregorian Calendar is called the New Style. 

REV. MARTIN WALDSEEMULLER 

Rev. Martin Waldseemiiller, who on his great map of 
the world gave the name America to the New World, was 
born about 1475 in or near Fribourg, and died as a Canon 
of St. Die in Lorraine in 1522. This celebrated cartog- 
rapher is mainly responsible for the publication of " Cos- 
mographiae Introductio," a book containing a geographical 
introduction and an account of the four voyages of Americus 
Vespucius. This notable volume was published April 25, 

I507- 

THE HUGUENOTS 

The Huguenots were a number of French Calvinists or 
Protestants who came to America in February, 1562, to 
establish a colony. The first expedition, under the com- 



140 STORIES OF GREAT HEROES 

mand of John Ribault, landed at Port Royal, South Caro- 
lina, and erected Fort Charles. Leaving about thirty 
Frenchmen to keep possession of the new territory, Ribault 
returned to France for provisions and men. Some time 
after, the settlers, becoming homesick, constructed a ves- 
sel and sailed for France, but were captured by the English 
before they reached their destination. 

It was not till 1564 that the French King allowed three 
ships under the command of Laudonniere to sail for the 
New World. The French commander established Fort 
Caroline on the St. Johns River in Florida. As soon, 
however, as the provisions of the settlement grew scarce, 
murmurs of discontent were heard. Speaking of the colony 
at this particular time, Bancroft says : 

" But the worst evil in the new settlement was the char- 
acter of the emigrants. Though patriotism and religious 
enthusiasm had prompted the expedition, the inferior class 
of the colonists was a motley group of dissolute men. Mu- 
tinies were frequent. The men were mad with the passion 
for sudden wealth, and a party, under the pretense of de- 
siring to escape from famine, compelled Laudonniere to 
sign an order permitting their embarkation for New Spain. 
No sooner were they possessed of this apparent sanction of 
the chief than they equipped two vessels, and began a 
career of piracy against the Spaniards. Thus the French 
were the aggressors in the first act of hostility in the New 
World ; an act of crime and temerity which was soon 
avenged." 

Later on, when Ribault arrived bringing an abundance of 
supplies, the French colonists were filled with joy; but their 
joy was of short duration, for Menendez soon destroyed the 
Huguenot settlement. 



TOPICAL INDEX 



Alabama, 89 
Albion, 130 
Almagro, 95 
America, 6, 15, 29 
Antilles, 89 
Aragon, 54 
Argentina, 83 
Arkansas, 89 
Armada, 122, 130 
Asia, 22 
Atahualpa, 97 
Azores, 109 
Aztecs, 65 

Bahamas, 8, 56 
Balboa, 29 
Barcelona, 51 
Belle Isle, 114 
Bimini, 56 
Bird Island, 114 
Blanc Cablon, 116 
Bobadilla, 10, 45 
Bonavista, 113 
Borgia, 124 
Brazil, 17, 75, 129 
Breton, 24 
Bristol, 23 

Cabot, 21 
Cadiz, 9, 17 
California, 70, 130 
Canada, 119 
Cancer, 101 
Careta, 32 
Carib, 56 
Carolina, in 
Caroline, 122, 140 
Cartier, 113 
Carvalho, 75 



Cathay, 11 1 

Cebu, 80 

Central America, 27, 106 

Central States, 91 

Chiapas, 51 

Chile, 98 

China, 22 

Cipango, 22 

Colombia, 95 

Columbus, 1, 17, 29, 42 

Concepcion, 74 

Corinto, 102 

Cortes, 61 

Coyba, 32 

Cozumel, 63 

Cuba, 8, 62 

Cuzco, 98 

Da Gama, 73 
Darien, 19, 29, 84 
Davila, 37 
Del Cano, 82 
De Corpa, 132 
De Gourgues, 122 
De Soto, 84, 106 
Dominica, 9 
Dominicans, 46, 51 
Donnacona, 116 
Don Pedro, 84 
Drake, 127 

Easter Sunday, 56 
East Indies, 113 
Ecuador, 96 
Enciso, 30 
England, 2, 24 
Europe, 2, 16, 22 

Ferdinand, 8, 58 
141 



Feruel, 124 
Florence, 16, 108, 138 
Florida, 57, 88, 120 
Fonseca, 73 
Fountain of Youth, 56 
France, 2 

Franciscans, 46, 132 
Fuentes, 106 

Gallo, 95 
Genoa, 1, 21 
Georgia, 89, 132 
Good Hope, 73, 130 
Gorgona, 96 
Grand Khan, 25 
Guadalquiver River, 42 
Guam, 79 
Guanahani, 6 
Guatemala, 50, 102 
Guayaquil, 50 

Haiti, 8, 50 
Hatteras, 26 
Havana, 58, 88, 106 
Henry the Navigator, 27 
Hispaniola, 50 
Hochelaga, 116 
Honduras, 12 
Huascar, 97 
Huguenots, 121, 139 

Inca, 86 
India, 2, 17, 22 
Isabella, 3 
Italy, 1, 16, 21 

Jamaica, 9 
Japan, 22 



142 



TOPICAL INDEX 



Labrador, 24, 115 
Ladrone, 79 
La Plata, 19, 76 
Las Casas, 42, 102 
Laudonniere, 121, 140 
Leon, Ponce de, 54, 106 
Lesser Antilles, 58 
Lima, 98, 129 
Luque, 95 

Mactan, 80 
Madeira, 109 
Magellan, 72 
Maine, in 
Malayan, 79 
Mandeville, 27 
Margarita, 9 
Marroquin, 102 
Martinez, 124 
Mazana, 79 
Medellin, 61 
Mediterranean, 2, 120 
Menendez, 120, 124, 140 
Mexico, 61, 118 
Mississippi, 89 
Moluccas, 81 
Montesino, 46 
Montezuma, 63 
Montreal, 116 
Moors, 54, 73 
Morocco, 73 
Moscoso, 90 
Mount Royal, 116 

Narragansett Bay, in 
Narvaez, 66, 88, 106 
Newfoundland, 25, 113 
Newport, in 
New York, in 
Nicaragua, 12, 50, 86, 96 
Northmen, 137 



Ojeda, 95 
Oporto, 72 
Orinoco, 9 
Orleans, 116 
Ovando, 45, 55, 61 

Palos, 5 

Panama, 12, 37, 95 
Pascua Florida, 57 
Patagonia, j6 
Pearl Islands, 95 
Perez, 3, 138 
Pernambuco, 75 
Peru, 50, 86,93, n8 
Philippines, 79, 130 
Piura River, 97 
Pizarro, 50, 86, 93 
Plymouth, 127 
Polo, 21 

Porto Rico, 49, 55 
Portugal, 3, 18 

Quebec, 116 

Ribault, 121, 140 
Rio de Janeiro, 75 
Robber Island, 79 
Roberval, 117 

Saguenay, 116 
Salamanca, 42, 61 
San Antonio, 74 
San Domingo, 12, 29, 42 
San Salvador, 6 
San Sebastian, 30 
Santa Cruz, 76 
Santa Maria, 36 
Santiago, 74, 102 
Saragossa, 101 
Seville, 17, 42, 74 
South America, 9, 17 
South Carolina, 89, 140 



South Sea, 89 

Spain, 3, 18, 23, 29 

Spice Islands, 78 

Stadacona, 116 

St. Augustine, 57, 120 

St. Brendan, 137 

St. Dominic, 46 

St. Jerome, 48 

St. Julian, 76 

St. Katharine, 114 

St. Lawrence, 17, 114 

St. Mark, 24 

St. Mary of Victory, 74 

St. Matthew, 96 

St. Michael, 97 

St. Rose of Lima, 99 

Tacamez, 95 
Tallahassee, 89 
Tampa Bay, 89, 106 
Teneriffe, 74 
Tezcoco, 69 
Tolosa, 106 
Toscanelli, 27, 138 
Trinidad, 9, 74 
Trojan, 120 
Truxillo, 12, 93 
Tumbez, 96 

Union Jack, 26 
United States, 107, 132 

Valladolid, 12 
Valparaiso, 129 
Velasquez, 61 
Venice, 21 
Vera Cruz, 63, 106 
Verrazano, 108 
Vespucius, 15 
Victoria, 74 

West Indies, 44, 55 



Printed in the United States of America. 



